The Desires of a Lost Heart
by Gothik Faerie
Summary: Set in 19th century Transylvania, three years after the defeat of Dracula, the city once ruled by the Valerious family is again shadowed by the resurrection of Dracula. Rated for some swearsviolence. All movie characters are not my property.
1. The Resurrection of Evil

It is midwinter and you are surveying your small town in Transylvania before you retire for the night. It has been three years since the great Van Helsing came to vanquish Count Dracula and all his evil plans. The Valerious family is dead, so, being the next from a line of royalty, you were summoned to take up the town duties. A part of you craves eternal safety, yet another part of you craves... adventure.  
  
Regardless, you go about your duties and see that the town is secure.  
  
You retire to your chamber that is draped in heavy wine-colored velvet. The tapestries all around are not only for decoration, but they keep the cold out. You are restless this evening, and you do not know why. Still, you nestle snugly under the covers and zone out.  
  
You are encountered with strange images of phantoms and rising darkness. Then, in a flourish, you see great black wings rise out of Dracula's castle, and a flash of fangs. You wake up abruptly in a cold sweat. All is silent. But it is an unearthly silence.  
  
Suspicious, you get up, making sure to grab the sword you keep under the bed. You go and listen intently to the door, but hear nothing. Something is happening, but you are too afraid to go out there and find out. However, you are the master of the house, and it is your duty to make sure all is well.  
  
You light a lantern, your heart rate increasing already. Then you open the door, cautiously. The winter wind blows through the hall freely and chills you to the core. Bravely, you inch along the hallway into the weapons room. The window is wide open. Your pulse quickens again. Things like this should not be happening. You wonder about what you should do next.  
  
You approach the window with clear caution, paying attention to all of your surroundings and the slightest movements. There is no sign that anyone would have entered. What could enter anyway? The weapons room is situated high up off the ground, and Dracula is destroyed, along with the werewolves.  
  
Silly, you think to yourself, there is no full moon anyway. You hear a scream from downstairs.  
  
Immediately, you forget your fear and rush from the room, down the staircase, and into the ballroom where the scream had come from. In the middle of the floor, you can make out two figures. One appears to be holding the other limply in their hands.  
  
"You!" You shout at the figure. No movement ensues. You think maybe you are just imagining things, but you approach anyway. The figure turns to look at you and you gasp, dropping your sword.  
  
Revealed dimly by the starlight of the grand windows, you can see clearly the smirk upon Count Dracula's face, complete with a trickle of blood which he licks away as he looks at you. He drops the servant woman he was holding. She falls lifeless to the floor. You just stare at him, completely speechless as if you were hypnotized.  
  
"But you..." You squeak. He laughs a cold, menacing laugh.  
  
"...are supposed to be dead," he finishes for you. You just stare at him. He chuckles, and begins to circle you. "I was dead," he says. You gulp and don't even dare to make a move for your weapon.  
  
"You killed one of my servants..." You whisper softly.  
  
"Yes...Sweet blood...the bane of my existence!" He emphasizes, stepping closer to you. You back away instinctively. He laughs, his voice ricocheting off of the pillars of the ballroom.  
  
"Why are you back in this house?" You demand.  
  
"Where is Gabriel?" He asks, ignoring your question.  
  
"He has left," you answer, "I do not know where to."  
  
"I think you know," says the Count, as he continues to circle you.  
  
"The last place I heard he was at, was the sea. And then he left to go West somewhere," you say.  
  
"Hm..." Ponders Dracula aloud, "And why did he not cross the sea?"  
  
"He went to the sea to burn Anna's body," you say, "I can tell you nothing more." Dracula seems surprised at this, but he still circles you. Then suddenly, he comes and grasps your chin, pulling you up erect and tight against him. You gasp for air and choke.  
  
"You will do this for me, so you best listen carefully," he says coldly, "You will find the whereabouts of Gabriel Van Helsing, and then you will inform me of where he is. Take heed, child. This is nothing to take lightly. You will send and tell nothing to Van Helsing. And if you do, I shall have to kill you. Understand?"  
  
"Yes," you choke over his grasp. He tightens his hand. "I understand!" You choke again. He drops you to the cold floor. Your vision is blurred by the tears in your eyes.Your faith is crashing down around you, and your hope is trickling away through the cracks of a temporarily built illusion of greatness.  
  
As an afterthought, he picks you up again more gently by your nightclothes. "The rewards will be great, if you do as I command," he whispers into your ear. You shudder as he kisses hungrily at your neck and then places you before him. You stare at his eyes, mortified. Yet there is something in his eyes that makes you want to do what he asks. Something in the cold fire makes you... pity the cursed beast.  
  
"Are you going to kill me?" You ask in a whisper. He laughs, but not as coldly as before.  
  
"No, my dear. I kill only those that are useless to me. And you are quite useful," he said, "Quite useful indeed..." He runs a long fingernail along your jaw and down your neck. You shiver and he smirks. "There is much I have to do. Remember what I told you," he reminds. And then he turns and vanishes from the hall without another word.  
  
Astonished, you exit the hall, pass through the weapons room, and settle back into your bed. But you do not sleep. Strange things are happening, and despite Dracula's warning, you know you must send again for Van Helsing.

Your life may depend upon it.

A/N: This story has been picked apart to the bare bones and there should be absolutely no spelling/grammar errors in it. If you are to encounter an error, please contact the author immediately.


	2. A Dangerous Mission

Chapter Two: A Dangerous Mission 

You rise at dawn. You have not slept all night, for fear that Dracula might return and kill you. You are hesitant to go through with sending for Van Helsing, but you know you cannot defeat Dracula on your own.

You dress yourself hurriedly: a white chemise, black riding pants, your weathered leather corset, and your long green velvet, fur-lined coat. On your way through the weapons room, you pick up a sword and strap its sheath around your waist under the coat. Into your riding boots, you slip a hunting dagger into a hidden sheath. Then you head downstairs.

The servants are up early in a panic about the night's events. When they start to question you, you silence them, and tell them to remain here until you return. Then you leave the room and go out into the street. Across the street is the local church, which you rush to. Morning mass is not for another half hour, and the priest is in the sanctuary preparing.

He turns pale when he sees you approaching. Before you even reach him, he says, "It's happening, isn't it?" You stop in the aisle. The priest comes down to meet you. "He's back," he whispers. You nod.

"How did you know?" You proceed to ask. The priest shakes his head.

"We must send for Van Helsing… he must come and refigure this," says the priest. It seems that he is feeling ill because of this knowledge. He is shaking his head and going into a disoriented space.

"Father!" You state. He turns to face you, alarmed. "I cannot send for Van Helsing."

"Why ever not!?" Exclaims the priest.

"Because," you start, "Dracula came to see me last night, and he said he would kill me if I sent for him."

"Then we must be quick and tactful," says the priest. "You will ride to meet Van Helsing. He is not far from here; only about 500 miles. You can reach him in two, maybe three days…"

"But, father! Dracula will pursue me. And he has wings!" You say.

"Then you must bring a companion," says the priest.

"And where will I find such a companion? Certainly not in the church!" You say sarcastically. This plan is preposterous. You will surely be caught and killed by Dracula!

"There is a man… he lives on the far-side of town…" Says the priest darkly. You indicate that he should proceed. "But he is dangerous…very dangerous…"

"How dangerous?" You dare to ask.

"He has committed serious crimes against God," says the priest, "But he is a hunter. He has evaded the claws of the devil thousands of times. Such a task would be nothing for him to accomplish. He would be an excellent escort… but you must be careful…"

"Where exactly does he live?" You ask. This may be your only chance.

"Down the last alley, in the last building, in the last door," says the priest, "On the far west side…"

"Thank you, father," you say, "I will retrieve him and meet you back here after morning mass—"

"—Not here!" Exclaims the priest. You are surprised by this sudden outburst. "His committed sins are far too great for him to enter this holy place," explains the priest, "We will meet outside the Southern gate after morning mass."

"Very well," you say, "Shall I bring horses?"

"Yes," replies the priest, "And every weapon you can carry." At this, he dismisses you and you go on your way.

Before leaving the church, you kneel on the front steps. Drawing your sword, you place it on the step in front of you with both hands folded on the hilt. The morning bells start ringing as you pray silently to God:

"God," you say solemnly, "I pray that You shall protect me on this new mission I must so soon embark on…and I pray that You would bless my sword. May it be swung only with Your undying grace and with good shining in its blade. I cannot promise I will not fail, but I do solemnly swear that I will do my best to see to Your will, through all evil." At this, you cross yourself, and go on your way back to the house.

You must give out orders to the servants before you leave. You explain to your subordinate that you must be going on leave for a while, and that you hope to return.

"…And if I do not return," you say, "You will watch over this city in my stead." You hand him a letter. "And in the case of my death, this letter contains instructions. Do not open it unless I do not return. And if I do not return, after you have read it, destroy it so there is no evidence for evil-doers that may be coming along after me." He nods in slight confusion, but he understands what he is to do. "Do not fail me," you add, "You are to keep the servants under close watch, and if you have any questions about their behavior, you are to immediately report it to the Father Delavego. Understand?" He nods. "Good. I am off now. May God bless this house."

"May God bless you in your travels, mistress," he says. You bow politely and exit the room.

Now it is time to see about this man inhabiting the last building on the far west side of town.

You sure hope he can help you…


	3. The Rogue

Chapter Three: The Rogue 

You approach the west side of town with a bit of nervousness. The priest has made this man out to be a killer, perhaps. But all of your weapons are at hand, so you think that you are fairly safe, even if you get attacked.

The last alley is very dark and the doorways are very unclear, even to the precision of your eyesight. But there is still no mistaking the last door. It is small and wooden. The building is small as well. You wonder if you are about to recruit a peasant and knock cautiously. There is a long pause inside, which you can almost sense. A muffled voice is heard inside.

"Who is it?" Asks the voice.

"My name is of no concern to you," you answer, "Only my quest is." There is another pause behind the door.

"I like that answer. But it gives me nothing to trust you on," replies the voice haughtily. You are flabbergasted he would say such a thing. Criminals want nothing to do with trust, do they?

"Listen," you say, leaning close to the door crack so no one can hear you but him. "Count Dracula has risen again. I must cross the country in search of Van Helsing. But I cannot go alone." There is another pause and then the door opens.

He is a rugged-looking character of about 5'11". His hair is a dark mop that hangs just below his shoulders. His eyes are a wild color of sky blue, and his chin and upper lip are covered with a bit of a scruff. His clothing is that of a ranger; all brown tones and mostly leather, except for his chemise, which is a yellowed out silk shirt of antique design. Behind him looms darkness, and a single burning candle.

"No, certainly not alone across the terrain, my Lady," he says, bowing. Then he reaches forward and kisses your hand. (How can he have committed sins? You ask yourself). "My name is Vladimir Theros; better known as the Rogue, or simply, the Outcast," he says, with a hint of sarcasm.

"I am Mira DeLune," you say, with a grateful nod. You seem to remember hearing his name from somewhere, but it escapes you. "The task is dangerous," you continue, "The Count came to me last night and threatened my life if I sent for Van Helsing. I promised I would only find the whereabouts of him. But it has become clear to both the priest and I that Van Helsing must be reached, and in order to accomplish this, I must ride to him."

"This all makes sense, Miss DeLune," says Vladimir, "And I can say you have come to the right place. Dracula and I go way back."

"Way back? How old are you?" You ask curiously. He cannot be more than 30, you decide, but he just smiles mysteriously in both a trusting and distrusting way.

"The point is that I know his methods, and can outrun him easily. But if you are to start out today, we must go immediately. For once the sun falls beyond those mountains, he will awake and he will come looking for you," says Vladimir. You nod, knowing this already.

"The priest will meet us at the South gate after morning mass," you explain, "To give us further instructions."

"I do not need any," replies Vladimir, "But the priest will likely have some trinkets that may aid our journey." You are a little unsettled by the fact that he is so mysterious. In fact, he makes you a little suspicious about his history even. But, you trust the priest with all your heart. And the priest would die before sending you into harm's way. He is glancing at your weapons. "Those will do you no good when he picks up the chase," he says finally.

"I was told to heavily arm myself, so I did as instructed," you reply. He shakes his head.

"You are not heavily armed to face vampires. You are heavily armed to face me," he says. You blink, looking at him. He smiles, shaking his head. "Nevermind Miss DeLune. Keep yourself armed if you believe it's necessary. Just know that when faced with the Count, your mortal weapons will fail you."

"Well then, what will defend me?" You demand, a bit annoyed by the fact that he seems overly prodigious.

"Your faith in God is the most likely," he replies, still looking at you. His gaze makes you feel a bit nervous, but maybe that is only because the priest warned you that he was a dangerous man. "Now," he says, taking his eyes off you, "I believe I have some packing to do. I trust you have the horses, and I will meet you at the south gate." He shuts the door, leaving you in the dark alley. You feel that this gesture is a bit rude, but then again, it seems as if he has not interacted with people for a while.

You walk away with the strange sense that something is not right about this man; whether good or ill, and decide to keep your weapons on hand. Even if they will not defend you from the Count, they will defend you from mortals with sinful hearts.

You pick up the two fastest horses from the stables and proceed out into the street. The sun is rising, but it appears that a storm is rolling in. This is not good. If it is a storm, it will be like racing across the west to find Van Helsing. Then again, it could be to your advantage. Dracula might have difficulty navigating in such conditions. You must go, regardless of the weather.

Morning mass will not be over for at least another hour, so you walk around town with the horses. The marketplace looks barren today, and the shopkeepers are restless. They know that something is happening. You always find it odd that people always seems to know when something is wrong.

You enter a general store to pick up some rations for the journey. You also pick up a new fur hat. The journey is going to be cold, and you would not want your ears to get frostbite. After some brief, mindless wandering about the town, you head to the outskirts of the south gate. It will be a while until anyone arrives there, but you figure it's better to be early anyway.

You have the keen sense that you are being watched. But no one is in sight.

The priest is the first to arrive. He carries a small bag with only a few things in it: a bible, a vial of holy water, some strange herbs you have never seen, and a curious looking device which the priest informs you will generate amazing amounts of light equal to the intensity of the sun. You place the small bag inside your saddlebag. The priest takes a map out of his carry-case.

"I have marked the approximate area of where Van Helsing should be. God willing, he is headed east and will meet you on your path," says the priest. You nod in accordance. "He will have with him, most likely, a friar by the name of Carl. Listen to Carl. He knows much of Count Dracula, and if he knows it not, he is the one that will find out." You nod again. You both look up as Vladimir approaches, loaded up with bags. You do not comment. He smiles when he reaches you.

"Good morning Father Delavego," says Vladimir.

"Good morning," replies the priest. "I have given Mira the map. You know how to read it, Vladimir." Vladimir nods. "Now, both of you be off at once!" Says Father Delavego. Vladimir mounts his horse and the priest stops at you, laying a hand on your shoulder. "Bless you, child. May God be with you always," he says.

"Thank you, Father," you reply, nodding your head in respect. Then you mount. The priest turns to Vladimir.

"I would bless you, Vladimir, but there is no sense in blessing a condemned soul. May God be with you," he says, a little sorrowfully. Vladimir nods in understanding. "One can hope that your transgressions will pass away once you have achieved greatness through the glory of God. If you succeed on this mission, your reward may restore your life."

"Thank you, Father," says Vladimir. He nods at you. "We must make speed. Dracula sends a storm to stop us," he says to you. You do not have time to react to this information, because Vladimir takes off before you. You quickly kick your horse into a canter.

The priest vanishes behind you in a matter of minutes, and soon, so does the city.

Then all you see for miles around is endless mountains and plains, and a threatening black cloud in the western sky. Your heart is in your throat as the cold wind whips your face and you purse your lips.

This could be your last ride ever…


	4. The First Chase

Chapter Four: The First Chase 

You are greatly upset about one thing in particular as you ride. Vladimir had said that Dracula sends a storm to stop you. How can he possibly know that you two are setting out for help to vanquish him?

The ride drags on for hours. There is always an intense expression of concentration on Vladimir's face, but he never seems to be worried. Perhaps he is worried, but he is not showing it.

You are forced to take a break at dusk; but at least you are under the shelter of a grove of trees. If Dracula flies tonight, he will have difficulty in finding you. Vladimir is very quiet. He watches the west sky.

"We cannot rest for long," he finally says, "This storm must be out-run. And as soon as that sunlight vanishes from the sky, we are in terrible danger."

"How does Dracula know that I am betraying him?" You ask. Vladimir looks at you.

"Intuition. He knows everything and anything he wants to…especially regarding you. He knows that he took a risk in trusting to a decent mortal, so he has kept a restless mind on your thoughts and your actions. You cannot lie to Dracula, Mira. He will kill you," explains Vladimir. You gulp. After a quick bite to eat and a rest, you mount your horses again. Vladimir is very alert. At every sound, his head turns swiftly.

The sun falls beneath the horizon.

"We won't get far," mutters Vladimir, "Stay close."

Around you, the dark shadows of the sky and trees walk by like creatures. The forest is still as if it has been silent for a century. The stillness makes you very nervous and you gaze around the trees. You think you see the flash of eyes here and there, but it is so faint that you think it is your imagination. Still, you stay close to Vladimir.

"Vladimir…" You whisper quietly, seeing eyes flashing around you. He silences you.

"I know," he says, just so you can barely hear him. You continue onward in silence. Danger seems to be fast approaching by the minute.

"Vladimir," you say again.

"Sh. On my word," says Vladimir. At this point, the horses are beginning to react to the sense of danger. They snort in restlessness and paw anxiously at the ground. A tree branch overhead creaks threateningly. You don't dare to look up. "Now," says Vladimir. At this point, you both whip your horses into an open gallop and fly through the trees.

There is a large crash behind you and a menacing growl. The growl strengthens to a horrible snarl and you squeeze your eyes shut, just hoping this is a bad dream. But you know it is not, and you must ride on. Vladimir is in a frenzy already. He keeps looking back and urging the horse to go faster.

Then, you hear the distinct sound of large wings flapping overhead. An evil scream is emitted and you lose control of the reins, covering your ears from the horrid sound. You are somehow able to balance yourself and crouch low to the horse. The horses are whinnying in terror.

"Faster, Mira!" Cries Vladimir. You kick the horse again, but both of you realize that the horses are going the fastest they can go right now. Vladimir turns on his horse and fires a couple of stakes at the beast flying over you. You cringe as it lets out surprised cries and then falls back.

You notice that the stars can no longer be seen overhead and a few flakes begin to flutter to the ground.

The creature regains its composure and resumes the chase once more. Finally, you dare to look back at it and nearly pass out. You are absolutely horrified by the appearance of a large, dark, winged devil. Its eyes glow terribly in the darkness but soon, the snow starts falling thickly.

"Come on Dracula! You can't follow us forever!" Yells Vladimir, shooting at it again. He seems very calm as he does this, as if it is second nature to him. Soon there is a thick curtain of falling snow and the creature disappears. You keep riding at the same pace, regardless. But horses are living things, and they too can tire. Soon, they are struggling and you are forced to let them slow to a walk. You are breathless.

"Vladimir…" You begin, but you cannot talk. You are overwhelmed and exhausted already.

"It's only the beginning," says Vladimir, "But I promise you. Under Van Helsing's protection, we stand a much better chance. It seems that the Count has regained all of his strength and more."

"The horses are tired," you say softly. Somehow, you feel as if your words are lost amidst the falling snow. It is very cold and you have doubts about making it through the night. "Is he going to come at us again?" You ask. Vladimir shakes his head.

"I doubt it. More than likely he is making more intelligent plans than continuing a chase in the middle of the night during a snow storm," replies Vladimir, "Such as, taking over the city."

"Taking over the city?" You repeat. Suddenly, this awful thought fully sinks in and you look at him desperately. "Surely he would not…"

"He owned it centuries ago. He would not fear retaking it," says Vladimir, "I am sorry." He turns his head away from you, forcing his horse to trudge along in the snow.

It does not matter to you anymore whether or not you survive. With no town left to go to, where else will you go? Dracula will pursue you no matter what.

"Mira," Vladimir calls you back to attention, "Do not worry for the city. None shall be harmed, I assure you. It is too valuable to him to kill everyone." You are slightly comforted by this, but not as much as you would like to be. You watch Vladimir and find yourself wondering about him yet again. The snow in his hair gives him a very mysterious look and once more, you ask yourself if you should be trusting this man.

"What will happen if we stop now?" You ask suddenly. Vladimir meets your eyes. There are snowflakes dusting his eyelashes and his sky blue eyes look darker.

"Then we will die," he says, "If Dracula is not following us, something else is by now. I'm not going to wait around to find out what it is." He turns back to the path ahead.

Emotionally, you are overwhelmed and ready to collapse. You will be happy if you can just stay awake. But that is not happening. You are too sleep-deprived to let it go. Slowly, but surely, you sink forward in the saddle, hunching over until you fall into a deep sleep.


	5. The Truth of the Rogue

Chapter Five: The Truth of the Rogue 

When you wake up, the sun's rays are just barely peaking over the horizon. The storm clouds have rolled away but all around you is a thick blanket of untouched snow. You realize that your horse is tied off to Vladimir's and he is covered in snow and ice; but he seems unaffected. You are draped in a wool blanket, that is in turn covered in snow and ice.

Vladimir turns his head to look at you, and smiles. "Good morning, Mira. I see even the face of evil cannot keep you from sleeping," he says sarcastically. You frown at him.

"I haven't slept for a while," you state blatantly. Vladimir laughs but says nothing.

"It is a bright, beautiful morning," he says, "But I fear our traveling conditions are not very good."

"What happened last night?" You ask drowsily. You can barely remember which was dream, and which was real.

"Dracula nearly caught us in the forest," reminds Vladimir.

"Oh, that's right," you say. You wish it had just been a dream.

"If we keep riding through the day all the way until dusk, we may stand a chance of reaching Van Helsing before the Count can reach us again," says Vladimir, "Can I see the map?" You carefully take off the blanket and fold it over the horse's neck. You reach into the saddlebag and take out the map, handing it to Vladimir.

He brushes himself off before he opens it and has a look. Then he refolds it and hands it back to you.

"We need to veer a bit more southward," he says, "Just a bit though. That should put us straight on the course." You nod, placing the map back in your saddlebag.

Since you are forced to have the horses walk the distance because of the snow, you decide to take this opportunity to have a conversation with Vladimir.

"Vladimir," you say, "Who are you?" His response is silence, until finally, he sighs.

"Why do you want to know, Miss DeLune?" He asks. He does not even look at you.

"I would like to know who I am traveling with," you state. He turns and looks at you through bright sky blue eyes. "I want to know who the Rogue is," you add. He still looks at you. "The priest says you have committed great sins against God…"

"Yes," he interrupts, "The priest says I have committed great sins against God."

"What sins?" You ask. He sighs, turning his eyes back on the course.

"The world is full of great evils. It is no secret that I fell to evils more than once," he answers.

"What kinds of evil?" You press.

"The evils of lust. The evils of victory. The thirst for glory. The thirst for power," he lists.

"Does not every man fall to such evils?" You inquire.

"Not every man is caught going after them," replies Vladimir, "Not every man is caught in bed with a woman that is not his. Not every man is caught betraying those in power. Not every man is caught while trying to assassinate a public official. Not every man is…" He stops now, staring hard at the road ahead. "Not every man is a man, Mira," he finishes.

"You have done all of this?" You ask, flabbergasted. You cannot see this in him.

"I have long since retrieved some kind of reputation," says Vladimir, "I was young and stupid. But I learned. I grew up to vanquish these evils, and fight them. Dracula was one. I fought him, but I never won. You see, I was not born as the left hand of God. That is why Van Helsing was born." He looks at you once more. You are astounded.

"How old are you?" You ask. He smiles, shaking his head.

"I turn 201 at the end of this week," he says. You stare at him, shocked.

"No…" you say.

"The church was very decent to me," continues Vladimir, "They gave me the elixir of life. I am to live until I have redeemed myself."

"Have not sinners died before?" You ask.

"Yes; sinners who have never learned they were sinners have died," says Vladimir, "The difference is that I tried so hard to repent. I prayed, I offered, I did everything in my power… but it was never enough."

"Why? Surely you have done great things since you realized your mistakes?" You are astounded by this man now.

"I have done great things. But none great enough to retrieve my soul," replies Vladimir.

"Your soul?"

"I sold my soul," says Vladimir, "To Dracula. To the devil." There is a very long, awkward silence. "Now, I can only retrieve it if I defeat the devil, in some way or another." Flabbergasted, all you can do is stare at him. He does not look at you. "I just want to die, Mira. I want to die and go to heaven. That is what I strive for now. I used to live for nothing except to live. Life holds no substance for me now…life holds no purpose."

"I'm sorry…" You say meekly. Vladimir turns and smiles at you.

"Don't be. I brought it upon myself," he says. You continue along in silence. Afternoon passes uneventfully and soon the sun is setting. There is still no sign of Van Helsing. You watch as the sun slips behind the horizon, and exchange a glance with Vladimir. He unties your horse from his. "Just be ready to sprint," he says.

"Vladimir," you say, "I never wanted to do this." He looks at you with a smile.

"No one would ever want to do this," he replies, "It's madness." There is an evil cry and you both look back across the plain. The creature is sweeping the ground in a frenzy, and it makes a bee-line towards you. "Go," says Vladimir calmly. You don't question his command and kick your horse into a run. Vladimir follows suit, but he turns and shoots at the beast again. This time, the creature dodges the flying stakes.

As you ride further, you can see a dim yellow light in the distance. "Vladimir!" You call, "I see a light!"

"Good!" He calls back, with some restraint. The creature is trying to dislodge him from his horse. You make it about two more miles before real problems start to happen. You can clearly see a camp straight ahead, but the creature grabs Vladimir off the horse and throws him.

"Vladimir!" You scream, halting your horse.

"Keep going, Mira!" Yells Vladimir. He stands up, watching his horse run off. The creature settles to the ground and snarls menacingly at him. You can't let him face Dracula alone. You gather all your weapons, and the package that the priest gave you. You leap off the horse, and then smack it so it keeps running.

Dracula is fighting Vladimir into the snow, still in devil form. You race over and stab him in the back. He emits an awful cry and flings you backwards.

"Mira, no!" Screams Vladimir, "Mira, get out of here!" You stand, a bit bewildered, and look straight at Dracula. He snarls and then shrinks until he is in vampire form. He approaches you in a rage, and you back away until he stops.

"Nothing can save you now, Mira," says the Count, with an evil smirk on his face, "Here you are, all alone in the middle of the plain. Your escort is down and injured." You glance over and see Vladimir gripping his shoulder in pain. "And you are only armed with mortal weapons."

"No," you say bluntly. He blinks at you, clearly having not expected such an answer.

"No? You have a sword, maybe a few knives, a bible, and possibly some holy water," he says suspiciously, "Honestly, none of these things can defeat me. I only burn them." He grins evilly and his fangs come out of their sheaths.

"You forgot one thing," you say.

"I've forgotten nothing," says Dracula, approaching you, ready to bite. He makes a quick motion to grab you but you flip yourself out of his grasp, getting your cheek slashed. You quickly regain your composure and pull out the one other device given to you by the priest.

"You see this?" You ask. You are trying to hold yourself together. He blinks at it. He is no more than two feet away from you.

"Your heartbeat is…intoxicating," says Dracula, moving a few inches closer.

"It generates light!" You yell, backing away a step. You are trembling by now. He growls at you and turns back into the creature he was. Then without another word or glance, he flies away and vanishes into the night.

You put away the device and rush to Vladimir's side. "Vladimir," you say gently. He groans and opens his eyes.

"I told you to run," says Vladimir.

"…I couldn't," you say simply. He smiles, closing his eyes again.

"Van Helsing is close," he says tiredly. You hear the sound of hoof beats and look up to see a figure riding towards you. There is no mistaking the tall brimmed hat. You smile, looking down at Vladimir. He falls asleep.

The horse reaches you and the rider dismounts.

"Are you hurt?" Asks a voice.

"No," you state, even then touching the slash marks on your cheek, "But my companion is." You turn, standing up. "Gabriel Van Helsing?" You ask. He nods, removing his hat and looking at you. "Count Dracula has been resurrected."


	6. Van Helsing

Chapter Six: Van Helsing 

"You risked much in coming to find me," says Van Helsing. You have by now moved to his camp, and Vladimir is sleeping peacefully in the tent.

"I would not have made it if it were not for Vladimir," you say, looking in the direction of the tent. You and Van Helsing sit at the fire, warming yourselves and looking up at a starry sky. Van Helsing seems very composed for receiving such terrible news.

"So Count Dracula doesn't want to die," he comments, looking thoughtfully at the sky. He glances over at the other tent. "As soon as Carl is up, I'll put him to work. He may be able to find some glitch in our plan." He tips his hat over his eyes and sits back. "So, Miss DeLune. Tell me a bit about yourself." He looks very mysterious.

"What is there to tell?" You ask, sitting back in the warmth of the fire, "I'm royalty. I am the leader of the city…but Vladimir tells me Dracula will likely take over the city. I'm really…no one in particular…"

"No one in particular," repeats Van Helsing, "If you were no one, I don't think Dracula would be chasing you down."

"Dracula came to see me a couple nights ago…" You say in response.

"Oh?" Van Helsing, removes his hat and looks at you suspiciously. You look down at the fire.

"Yes… he said I was to find your whereabouts and then inform him, but not inform you because he wanted to take you out…otherwise, he would kill me…"

"Proceed."

"Well, I went to Father Delavego and he directed me to Vladimir. We set out as soon as we could get everything ready. The first night, we were attacked but the snowstorm was able to hold him off… and then, out there on the plain, we were again attacked. I am sure you saw him there," You say, looking at him finally.

"Yes. I did see a sort of winged creature. That is why I rode out there," says Van Helsing, "How did you scare him off?"

"With this," You say, removing the device.

"Ah. He probably remembered that," says Van Helsing, "But it shouldn't have much of an effect on him. It might blind him for a few nights, but that is all." You sit looking intently at the fire with your knees up to your chin. "Would you like some whiskey?" Asks Van Helsing, taking a swig and offering you the flask. You drink a bit and feel its effects warming you up.

"I never thought I would be in a situation like this," you say, averting your gaze to the sky.

"No one ever thinks they would be in situations like this. It's uncalled for," says Van Helsing, taking another swig of the whiskey. He sighs, looking at you. You look back at him and see a misplaced grief dancing in his eyes. You stare at him tiredly. "No one ever wants to be where they are," He says softly, looking down.

"There is so much to lose in life," you say awkwardly. Van Helsing shoots you a pained look.

"That is why one does not gain," he answers bluntly. You stare at him in shock.

"But, why would one not wish to gain? There is so much to gain," you counter.

"But then you lose it all," snaps Van Helsing. He is very testy at the moment. He takes another long swig of the whiskey and wipes his mouth. You stare at him speechless.

"Well, I wish I could help you, Van Helsing. But you seem to have made your mind up about life," you say finally, "So let's talk about the work that needs to be done instead." He looks at you steadily, as if he wants to say something else but then he shakes his head, looking back down.

"There is nothing we can do right now," he says, "We must wait for Carl."

"Then what is your problem with waking Carl?" You ask, glaring at him. You get up and go to Carl's tent. Van Helsing doesn't stop you. He just watches.

You go into the tent and see the Friar sleeping rather soundly. You tiptoe up to his cot and poke him roughly in the shoulder. He lets out a deep snore and rolls over. So, you flip the cot over. Immediately he wakes with a screech and yells "Vampires" before he grabs you roughly and throws you out of the tent. You yelp as you land in a pile of snow. Van Helsing cracks up. Carl leaps out of the tent in his bedclothes with a scroll in his hand and you crawl away breathless, ending next to Van Helsing.

"Gabriel, who is this girl?" Asks the friar suspiciously. Van Helsing laughs again.

"Carl, this is Mira DeLune," says Van Helsing.

"Mira DeLune? Oh, you are that … that woman we placed in charge of the city back east," says Carl. You nod, keeping your distance. That had given you quite a scare. "So, what are you doing here then?" He asks.

"The matters are grave, Carl," says Van Helsing, "Count Dracula has been resurrected." Carl's face turns very dark at this.

"But…how…when…"

"There is no proper explanation. We must find out what we missed in the puzzle. Clearly we did not do all of our research. We left out key details," states Van Helsing. Carl nods, gulping.

"Well, now I shan't be able to sleep at all!" Says Carl. He storms back into his tent.

"What's he doing?" You ask.

"Probably starting his research," Van Helsing answers, "Now, come and sit with me. I want to talk to you." You sit next to him and look at him attentively. He drinks more whiskey and offers you the flask once more. You have a swig and hand it back to him, a little drowsily. "The last time we did this, people were considerably hurt. Have you any family members that you would consider in grave danger?"

"I have no family," you say morosely, looking away.

"Oh… I'm sorry…" says Van Helsing, "If it makes you feel any better, I never knew my family." You don't answer.

"The priest is the only I fear might be in danger. He is the only man I trust and respect," you say, "Besides maybe Vladimir."

"Okay. Well…" Van Helsing pauses, looking once more at the sky. "The plans are not yet final. But I assume that we cannot keep our base here. We may need to move somewhere safer. Possibly Rome."

"That would put us a bit far from the place we need to be," you respond. Van Helsing shrugs.

"Good planning needs to be in a danger free zone," he says, "But we will check with Carl in the morning. So, I think that's it for now. You should probably get some sleep."

"I cannot sleep," you say, looking away.

"Well then," says Van Helsing with a sigh, "I suppose we shall just have to drink ourselves to sleep then." He takes out another flask of whiskey and hands it to you. The idea seems both bad and good to you at the same time: Drink it all away. After a few swigs, you already feel lightheaded. You look at Van Helsing in a daze and grin stupidly. He stares back you through what you consider very attractive eyes. But you say nothing. You are not 'that' out of it.

After a couple more swigs, you fall back and he leans over you, looking into your face. "Getting tired?" He asks. You shake your head and yawn. He purses his lips and continues staring at you.

"What?" You ask, staring back at him.

"I don't know. I find you very attractive," says Van Helsing bluntly, "And I think I want to kiss you." You blink. Either you must be really drunk, dreaming, or he must be really drunk. His eyes do look kind of misty. You just smile at him.

"I don't think you want to," you say. He smiles, leaning closer. "You don't even know me," you say philosophically, "How can you—" He kisses you softly and then grips your shoulders, pulling you into a smoldering kiss. Then he releases you. You are completely breathless and you stare back at him, shocked. He smiles.

"Not bad," he says. You take another swig of whiskey, and then you pass out.


	7. The Plan

Chapter Seven: The Plan 

You wake yet again at dawn, but you seem to have passed through a change of scenery during the night. You are now snugly placed in a cot, enveloped in a heavy wool blanket. You jump up and look outside. The sun is rising. Its golden rays are barely reaching over the horizon.

Van Helsing is sitting by a small fire, muttering to himself as he looks over a scroll. Then your hangover hits you completely and you fall back with a thud, gripping your head. When you can see straight again, Van Helsing stands in the doorway. He looks amused.

"Did we sleep well?" He asks.

"Yes, we did," you groan, gripping your forehead, "And now we shall never drink again." Van Helsing chuckles. He offers you a hand and pulls you to your feet. There is an awkward pause as he looks into your eyes. You vaguely recall a smoldering kiss from the other night, but you suppose it could have been a dream.

"Come. The fresh air will do you good," he says. You walk out into the frigid air and sit near the fire. "Have some breakfast," he offers, handing you some eggs and sausages. "Eat fast; it will freeze if you don't." So you gobble the food down and he offers you the whiskey flask once more. You stare at it. He grins. "Either take it or drink nothing," he says. You finally take it, but you have only a small amount. He shakes his head at you.

"Is Vladimir up?" You ask. Van Helsing shakes his head.

"Not to my knowledge," he says.

"Did you sleep last night?" You ask.

"No. I let you have my cot," replies Van Helsing, "I sleep on the rare occasion."

"How can you not?" You ask. This is incredulous to you, that someone would not sleep. He shrugs, taking another swig of whiskey. "Are you an alcoholic?" You ask. He snorts, splattering whiskey on the snow. Then he laughs. You raise a brow and then head into the tent where Vladimir was placed.

Vladimir is awake, but staring restlessly at the ceiling.

"How is your shoulder?" You ask, seating yourself beside his cot.

"You should have run and let him destroy me," said Vladimir, ignoring your question. You roll your eyes.

"How is your shoulder?" You repeat. He does not answer at all. "Vladimir. We are a team. I do not leave you, you do not leave me…"

"It is obvious that I do not leave you, but if there is danger, you should let me fend it off so you can get away. Imagine what would happen if he killed us both! Then where would we be?" Fumes Vladimir. You sigh and get up.

"I hope your shoulder is feeling better," you say, exiting the tent. You bump into Van Helsing, who is looking at you intently. He is holding the flask of whiskey still, casually. You slip past and he turns to continue watching you. You decide to go check on Carl. When you peer in, he is hunched over a book, snoring. You decide not to go through with what you did last night. When you turn out of the tent, Van Helsing is standing there again.

"Stop it!" You demand. He smiles, taking another swig of the whiskey.

"Stop what?" He asks. You are fuming. He is just doing this to be annoying (while he can; after all, there will soon be a time for no fun and no games).

"Following me, staring at me…stalking me," you slip past him and gather up your things into your bag once more. The horses are standing by, watching you silently. Van Helsing tips his hat and stands in your way. You sigh, angrily and glare at him. "What do you hope to accomplish by this?" You ask. He shrugs.

"I'm just pushing your buttons," he states.

"Well, stop pushing my buttons. Please," you say, "There is no time for this…immaturity." You wave your hand dramatically and he watches, fascinated.

"Did I kiss you yet?" He asks. You begin to slowly turn bright red and then quickly stalk past him.

"We were drunk," you say, "All's well in fun and games."

"Aren't you just the least bit curious what it's like when we're not drunk?" Asks Van Helsing. He has by now put the flask away and is looking at you earnestly.

"Another time, another place," you state.

"Oh, where then? Dracula's castle?" Asks Van Helsing sarcastically, "I think I would rather get it over with."

"Get it over with?" You raise your voice, staring at him, rage slowly building. "If I am already such a burden, why do you not dismiss me and send me away to the Adriatic Sea?" He shrugs, a smile playing in his eyes, and then walks past you as if the game is over.

"Relax Miss DeLune," he says, "I was just joking with you." You are too enraged to respond and return to your tent to sort through your belongings to make sure they are all there.

In a few minutes, you hear Carl talking to Van Helsing but you cannot make out the conversation. You exit the tent to see the two conspiring at the fire. Van Helsing waves you over.

"Welcome back, Miss DeLune," he says, "Now I can formally introduce you two. Carl, this is Mira DeLune. Miss DeLune, this is Friar Carl, my loyal companion."

"Good morning, Mira," says Carl, "I am sorry if I startled you last night. You see, I've had some bad experiences. Van Helsing will tell you…"

"He failed to warn me last night of so-said 'bad experiences,'" you say, looking at Van Helsing. He smiles innocently and sits back.

"So, the plans, Carl?" Asks Van Helsing.

"Well it is still unclear to me what we could have missed. So we may want to go back to Rome and ask the officials there," says Carl.

"I do not want to leave the city so far away," you say immediately. Carl shrugs.

"We do what we must," says Van Helsing sternly, "We cannot cater to your personal needs."

"I assure you I am quite selfless in my reasoning," you say, "I fear only for the safety of my people."

"You remind me of Anna," mutters Van Helsing. You glare at him.

"Well, the lady does have some sense. There are risks in leaving the city so far behind," says Carl.

"We cannot afford those risks," says Vladimir, coming out of his tent. He assumes a seat next to you. "It's the city that Dracula wants. And then he will be after Mira. Trust me. After he gets Mira, he will want Van Helsing."

"Who are you?" Asks Carl.

"Oh, Carl. This is Vladimir; Mira's travel partner," says Van Helsing.

"Nice to meet you," says Carl. Vladimir just glares at him. Carl gulps.

"We must travel back towards the city and find a safe base nearby," says Vladimir.

"Where is there a safe base?" Asks Van Helsing. Carl is looking over his map.

"Well there is a holy place in the mountains… but it has long been abandoned," suggests Carl.

"The Courts of Andume?" You ask.

"Yes…" says Carl, "How did you know?"

"I have been there…once…" You say. They all look at you. "It was long ago though. The place is both blessed and cursed. It protects from evil, but there is evil all around it."

"Well in a way, that is a good thing," says Van Helsing.

"It is nearly impossible to get in there," you say, "It must be accessed in daylight only."

"What about staying quarters?" Asks Carl.

"We could stay in the sanctuary there…but someone must be on guard…we would probably have to do guard shifts," you say, "It is a great risk however."

"But the only alternative to Rome," says Carl, "It seems to me that going to Rome would be going about it the wrong way. So I believe the Courts of Andume must be used. How long would it take us to reach them?"

"Three days," says Vladimir. Everyone looks at Vladimir.

"How do you know?" You ask. Vladimir seems nervous.

"I used to live there."


	8. Torn Between Emotions

**Chapter Eight: Torn Between Emotions**

The four of you are moving by mid afternoon. Van Helsing says that he wants to reach the forest edge by dusk, and it will be difficult to achieve such a goal with the given conditions. The sun is shining brightly overhead, but it is still a very cold day.

Van Helsing looks happy, for some odd reason. Carl looks dazed. Vladimir looks…undecipherable. He could be either angry, or just extremely solemn. You cannot tell. You end up staring straight ahead blankly, unable to feel any exact emotion at the moment. You are torn between emotions, you suppose.

On the one hand, there is the fact that Dracula is going to be on your tail. On the other hand, there is the fact that Van Helsing seems to be flirting with the idea of flirting with you. This makes you feel many things: anxiety, ecstasy, anger, and confusion. Van Helsing seems to only be amused, however. You sigh, leaning forward on the horse in a bored fashion. Van Helsing rides up beside you, exchanging a glance.

"Do not worry, Miss DeLune. Soon, there will be no more boredom," he says, as if it is assuring. He winks at you and rides on ahead. You cough back a potential dreamy sigh as you watch his lean figure ride ahead. So to avert your thoughts, you turn your attention to Vladimir, who looks extremely reserved and uptight.

"What are your thoughts, Vladimir?" You ask him.

"I think you ought to stay away from Van Helsing," he says in a low voice. You raise a brow.

"Why?" You ask, out of curiosity.

"He is paying far too much attention to you and far less attention to the mission," Vladimir states, keeping his eyes on Van Helsing's back, "I would be careful if I were you. I only trust Carl out of the two of them."

"You speak of trust, but what reason have we to trust you?" You ask, a little angered that he would not trust Van Helsing, "He is a good man. He knows what he is doing."

"He thinks he knows what he's doing. In fact, he thinks he knows too well what he's doing so he feels he does not need to concentrate on just the mission—" Vladimir starts.

"Chop, chop, gossips," calls Van Helsing from the front of the line, "We need to go a bit faster if we are to ever reach the forest in time." Vladimir flashes you a glance.

"Just remember what I said, Mira," He says in a low voice. You nod, remembering that you should quickly forget it. Vladimir is likely just jealous that Van Helsing is so learned in these matters.

Van Helsing pushes everyone all day and you reach the forest even before dusk. He and Carl set up camp once more and get a fire going for a quick dinner. After dinner, Carl retires to his tent, claiming he needs to continue his studies. Vladimir stays up, with seemingly no intention of ever retiring. He is keeping a close eye on Van Helsing.

"Do you think Dracula will return tonight?" You ask openly.

"No," says Van Helsing, "In fact, I think we needn't expect anymore trouble from him during our journey to the Courts of Andume. But I would keep a close eye out for him anyway." Vladimir is silent, with a steady gaze on Van Helsing. Van Helsing smiles at him. "Whiskey?" He offers to Vladimir. Vladimir declines. When Van Helsing offers it to you, you have a little, but only enough to warm yourself.

"Vladimir, why don't you retire for the evening?" You suggest.

"I'm not tired," he says blandly, glaring at you.

"Vladimir, I'm going to be up all night. You don't have to worry about watching the camp. Trust me, I have it covered," says Van Helsing. Vladimir moves to say something in response, but Van Helsing continues, cutting him off, "No, no, Vladimir. I insist. Go to bed and sleep, while you can!" Vladimir looks very angry, gets up, and stalks off to his tent without another word. You giggle to yourself and Van Helsing raises his flask to you. He takes a swig and lays back to look at the stars.

"Vladimir makes me uneasy sometimes," you say, looking up at the sky.

"He is a shifty character," replies Van Helsing, "Join me over here. This side of the fire is lonely." He pats a place next to him. You move there and lay back next to him, staring upward. He sighs, taking another swig.

"Have you always drunk this much?" You ask. He laughs slightly.

"Nah," he says, "It's just too damn cold out here. Can't live without the stuff."

"Is that the real reason?" You ask, not believing him. He pauses.

"No, it's only part of it," he answers, "But I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh, come on!" You press, leaning against him, "Tell me some wild story about what got you onto drinking whiskey!" He shakes his head and sighs. "Is it tragic?" You ask.

"It is partially tragic, yes," he replies, "But…more happy…for her at least."

"Her?" You turn your head and meet his eyes. He stares at you. "Tell me," you ask softly.

"It was Anna Valerious," he says, "I never knew her long enough to call it love… maybe it was just infatuation with her spirited mind and her unspeakable beauty…she was a brave woman. But, she had to go. It was her time. At least she was able to pass on the correct way. But I am now doubting this, even as I say it. Dracula must be defeated in order to save her, and her family."

"What do you mean?" You ask.

"A curse was placed upon her family," states Van Helsing. He looks away. "That is all I can say to you."

"I wish I could help," you say, leaning against him, "I wish I could somehow defeat him."

"There may yet be chances to help. But you have already helped in alerting me before Dracula himself came to alert me," replies Van Helsing. He looks back at you. You stare at him, wanting to kiss him for some odd reason. The chemistry is driving you mad.

"Have you ever loved, Van Helsing?" You ask.

"I've loved God, as every man should," he replies, continuing to look at you, "I've loved finding God in a woman's eyes…" Your heart flips. But then you think he must be talking about Anna. "But if you speak of mortal love, I do not think I have yet found it." Your heart flops. Then again, what were you expecting? You had just met him the other night. You smile. "Have you ever loved, Mira?" He asks softly. You continue to smile profoundly.

"I am too young to know," you whisper. He strokes your cheekbone tenderly with his forefinger.

"Everyone is young when they're a mortal, Mira," he says softly. You close your eyes to the sound of his voice and his soft touch on your face. "We never stop learning," he whispers. He kisses you softly, as if it were inevitable. You huddle close to his heat, letting his strong, warrior-arms hold you. You want nothing more than to fall asleep right here. Your sense of duty threatens to kick in.

"We never stop making mistakes, either," you say quietly, your eyes threatening to break into tears.

"Only by making mistakes can we learn," replies Van Helsing, grasping you closer.

"Gabriel…" you say, but you stop. You don't want to ask why he's holding you, because you don't want to know why. You want to think that he is holding you because he loves you, but love takes too much time to happen in 24 hours.

"You are a part of her," whispers Van Helsing. You are silent. All you can hear is your heartbeat, strong and steady.

"Gabriel…" You say again, just for the sheer sound of his name.

"Anna," he whispers back. You do not bother to correct him, because you realize that to Gabriel Van Helsing, you are Anna Valerious. Devastated, you rise out of his arms and get up. He reaches for you. "Don't leave me…" He says softly. You can see that he is on the verge of tears.

"Gabriel…Anna is dead," you say, leaning forward to caress his forehead, "For three years she has been dead." Van Helsing cries, curling into his knees. It is painful for you to see him like that, and you want nothing more than to comfort the stricken hunter. But you do not know how to.

"And she dies, over and over again…because I could not properly kill her enemy," says Van Helsing, hitting the ground with his fist, "I swear vengeance upon Count Dracula, whether I die or not."

"Vengeance is God's," You answer.

"I swear it!" Declares Van Helsing. He is not well, you decide, and settle back down next to him, stroking his shoulders and forcing him to relax.

"God will have his vengeance," you assure, looking deeply into his eyes. He seems to be immediately hypnotized.

"God will have his vengeance," repeats Van Helsing, trance-like. He gently moves forward to kiss you again, and you indulge in the one passion, because maybe, you are stupid; or maybe, you just want to further lie to yourself that Gabriel Van Helsing might love you and forget his longing for Anna Valerious.

"Good night, Van Helsing," you say, moving to get up. He grips you close.

"Don't leave me, Mira," he says, regaining his composure, "God knows I cannot stand being the only one on guard for these cold, lonely nights."

"Very well. I shall stay with you," you say, drawing close to him as he places a wool blanket over you.

"Good night, Mira," he says.

"Good night, Gabriel," you say, laying your head on his chest. You drift off into dreams while counting the stars above.

One, two, three…


	9. The Count's Proposal

**Chapter Nine: The Count's Proposal**

You wake in the middle of the night to strange sounds. When you open your eyes, you are still securely placed in Van Helsing's arms, but he is tensely still, staring past the fire into the bushes at the forest edge. He grips your shoulder and does not move his eyes. You take this as a sign that you should not move and instead, you follow his gaze to the edge of the woods.

You see nothing there but you hear the distant sound of footsteps upon the snow.

"He's coming," whispers Van Helsing. You feel your heart catch in your throat and gulp. "Listen, Mira," he says in a low voice, turning finally to you, "I need you to go into my tent and get my crossbow. Wake Carl and Vladimir and have that little device of yours ready. Understand?" You nod and get up slowly.

His crossbow is easily spotted in his tent, half poking out of his traveling bag. You grab it and return it to Van Helsing, who has now stood up. Then you run back to the tents and go into Carl's. He is sleeping face-down on the cot, snoring softly. Keeping your distance (you won't make the same mistake you made last time), you flip the cot and he leaps to his feet, taking a swing at you. After a few seconds, he comes to.

"What is it, Mira?" He asks with a sigh of relief, "You gave me a fright."

"Get your things together. Dracula is coming," you say quietly. His eyes grow wide and he gets to packing.

Next you go to Vladimir's tent, but looking in through the flap, you do not see him. Suddenly, you are grabbed by someone, a blade is at your neck, and a hand is over your mouth. You struggle a moment as you are pulled into Vladimir's tent and then released abruptly. You stumble away and turn, drawing your blade quickly. But it is just Vladimir. There are beads of sweat on his face.

"Vladimir?" You whisper. He stares at you, his eyes burning.

"What's happening, Mira?" He asks, his knife still drawn.

"It's Dracula," you say, eyeing his knife, "You can put your blade away." He approaches you, blade still at hand.

"Is he really coming?" Vladimir asks, lowering his voice. He walks towards you, his face darkening with every step. You back away, frightened.

"Vladimir?" You whisper again. A smile slowly alights on his face, but it is not a friendly smile.

"Yes, Mira," he responds, continuing to slowly walk forward. His voice is changing. His form is changing. He stretches his hands towards the roof of the tent, spins around once and when he faces you again, he is not Vladimir. It is Dracula. "Hello, Mira," he says, smiling as his fangs grow, "So good to see you again." His eyes appear to spin hypnotically.

"Where's Vladimir?" You demand, now backed firmly against the tent wall. With your toe, you dig along the edge, looking for a way to slide out. But you keep your eyes fixated on the Count.

"Vladimir went for a walk," he says. He is but three feet from you now. "But you, my love, are going to your grave…" He says in a low voice. He makes a grab for you and you flip out of his grasp, throwing yourself out of the tent.

"Van Helsing!" You scream, crawling along the ground.

"What is it, Mira?" Carl says as he exits his tent. Upon seeing Dracula he freezes, "Oh." He backs away and hides in his tent with a slight whimper. Dracula snarls, glaring at you. You inch away quickly to the fire and he lunges at you. In a swift movement, you grab the poker from the fire and stab him with it. It catches him off-guard for a moment and he moves back. But it is only enough time for you to get to your feet and go to the other side of the fire. You draw your sword, breathless.

Dracula stops, placing his hands behind his back. He chuckles, looking at you. His fangs have now retracted and he looks slightly normal, for a vampire. "So much like Anna," he says, beginning to circle towards you. You circle in the opposite direction, keeping the same distance between the both of you. You have your sword drawn, and you are wondering where Van Helsing is. "So very much like Anna," he repeats, "But more so like Adriana..."

"What do you want?" You ask, highly doubting he plans upon negotiations.

"I want Van Helsing," says Dracula, "Dead."

"Of course you want him dead. You will not have him dead!" You say angrily. Dracula laughs. He continues circling, as do you.

"On the contrary, Mira. I believe I will have him dead. Once I have you, that is," he says, his eyes gleaming.

"You won't have her!" Yells Van Helsing, suddenly, jumping up from the bushes with his crossbow. He doesn't fire however, and Dracula is closer to him than you are.

"Ah, Van Helsing," says Dracula, turning towards him, "So good to see you again."

"Go back to your castle, Dracula," says Van Helsing, "You're not wanted here." Dracula laughs.

"But I came to see you, my friend!" He resumes a serious pose. "I have taken the city. It is mine now."

"You bastard!" You cry, advancing on him.

"Stay, Mira!" Yells Van Helsing. You stop. Dracula looks at you, smirking.

"So, I come with conditions, Van Helsing," continues Dracula, "A trade-off."

"What sort of trade-off?" Asks Van Helsing, his crossbow still aimed at him.

"I give you these choices," says Dracula, "You can have the city back on any of these conditions: the girl or you, for obvious reasons."

"Do not assume," snaps Van Helsing.

"Either for the pleasure of killing, or for the pleasure of," Dracula looks at you with a smug expression, "…certain desires." He turns back to Van Helsing, "Then, once you have decided upon which person I shall receive, I demand that I be left alone in my castle; and I will kill only what I need to kill."

"Is that all?" Asks Van Helsing.

"Of course," replies Dracula. There is silence.

"Very well," says Van Helsing, "We will make our decision and see you in five nights in the city. Until this point, you are not to harm or kill any innocent persons." Dracula bows with a continuing smug expression and then he chuckles slightly.

"Good night, Van Helsing," he says. In a spurt of evil laughter, he grows into a flying beast, hovers over the campsite, and then disappears over the trees. You have broken into a cold sweat. Van Helsing stands, looking towards the forest. You rush to his side.

"He took the city!" You cry desperately, "My people are in danger!" Van Helsing grips your shoulders and looks you steadily in the eyes.

"Look, Mira. We will save the city, and your people," assures Van Helsing.

"But Dracula's terms!" You weep.

"Dracula's terms are false. I could see it in his eyes. He means to kill us once we have entered the city. By now he will have mobilized all of his forces to the city walls and he will have ordered that we either be captured or destroyed on sight," he explains, "We must be quick in formulating our plan. It must be quick, and very tactful." You nod, tears in your eyes.

"Vladimir is gone," you say, "I don't know where he is…" Both of you simultaneously hear a muffled voice coming from behind the camp. Walking over, you see Vladimir secured firmly to a tree, trying to break loose. You quickly cut his bonds and free him.

"What did the bastard want?" Growls Vladimir immediately.

"Stupid peace terms involving a trade-off," answers Van Helsing, "That are lies anyway."

"Why would he bother approaching you then?" Asks Vladimir.

"He wants his capture of us to be public, and easy," explains Van Helsing, "You see. He thinks we are stupid enough to be lured straight into the city. But we are obviously not so dense. Now, get back into your tent and pack. We are no longer making any camp stops. We need all available time to get to the Courts of Andume and figure out what we are going to do." Vladimir nods and goes into his tent. "Where is Carl?" Asks Van Helsing.

"Hiding," you answer, rolling your eyes as you say so. Van Helsing sighs.

"Oh Carl. Why do you have to be such a friar?"


	10. The Fears of a Monster Slayer

**Chapter Ten: The Fears of a Monster Slayer**

The original plan is that you would travel for a total of three days and rest for a total of three nights. The plan laid ahead of you now, is to ride all night, then ride all day, then ride all night again, and, if you are lucky, you will be at the Courts of Andume at dawn. You are not entirely sure you are be able to handle it, but you figure at least Van Helsing is always on guard…right?

So you ride on through the woods. Carl keeps looking about and whimpering, and asking occasionally if Van Helsing thinks that Dracula is going to appear out of nowhere and kill all of you. Van Helsing calmly replies, every time: "No, Carl. I think Count Dracula prefers to attack friars when they are a bit closer to his property." You chuckle to yourself every time you hear this response and focus your attention on the path ahead.

It is a very tranquil night. The air is completely still, the stars are burning brightly overhead, and the waxing gibbous moon is rising. The sleeping trees reach their black limbs up into the dark, velvety sky. Everyone is quiet. Though to you, this seems like the calm before the storm. You figure there will be at least two nights of this silence before hell is unleashed.

Dracula has taken your city. You are getting it back.

Van Helsing rides up beside you. "Carl is getting on my nerves," he murmurs into your ear. You giggle. Carl is now complaining to Vladimir.

"You see, we just finished this mission, three years ago! And now, we have to do it again!" Carl says to Vladimir.

"Dracula doesn't die," retorts Vladimir. Van Helsing rolls his eyes and turns back to you.

"So, what do you say we ride ahead a bit and have a little chat?" He asks. You look at him. His eyes are sincere.

"Sure," you say. Vladimir and Carl are quite indulged and they do not seem to notice when you and Van Helsing ride ahead.

"I want to apologize…" Says Van Helsing in a low voice.

"Apologize?" You repeat.

"I've been treating you… I've been treating you like I've known you forever," he states, looking into your eyes.

"If it makes you feel any better, I feel as if I've known you forever," you reply modestly, blushing slightly and looking away. He is smiling at you.

"But it isn't right. I have not known you forever," he says, "I shouldn't…I shouldn't…" He fumbled.

"You shouldn't treat me like you wanted to treat Anna?" You ask, trying not to show that you are hurt. He looks into your eyes.

"No, that's not what I mean. I shouldn't go so far so soon… it's just… ever since Anna, I have this fear… and that is if I do not act now, am I going to have the chance to in the future," he states, looking at you earnestly.

"I understand," you say, looking back at him. He puts a hand to your waist and looks deep into your eyes.

"I don't want to hold back…" he says, "But I don't want to lose the opportunity to let go…"

"No one wants to lose the opportunity. No one expects to, either," you respond, staring at him. He seems to lean closer with every word, so you continue slowly, "Sometimes things just are not meant to be…" He leans forward and kisses you passionately, pulling you close.

"What about things that are…and things that are to be?" He asks quietly, holding you tightly in his arms.

"Then they are, and they will be," you reply softly, holding onto him, "Nothing can stop such things. You just have to believe."

"I believe…" he whispered, "I'm just afraid." You draw away, taking the reins of your horse into your hands once more.

"Van Helsing the monster slayer? Afraid?" You smile at him, "I think you are lying to me, Gabriel." He smiles back at you.

"I never lie," he states.

"Wait for us!" Carl is yelling as he and Vladimir canter up to join you. Carl pulls Van Helsing away, bubbling over excitedly about some great issue he is having with the trip. Van Helsing smiles at you mysteriously as Vladimir takes you aside.

"What was that about?" Asks Vladimir in a low voice. You look at him.

"Personal issues," you state.

"I'm sure that kiss was real personal," states Vladimir coldly.

"I think you're jealous," you say, looking ahead.

"Maybe I am. At any rate, I'm not too worried about a little romance on the job. Business relationships never work out," he says, riding beside you.

"If you could predict the future, I would listen to you," you say, frowning.

"Well then listen to me, Mira. Don't fall in love with Van Helsing. You're just going to get hurt or die, like Anna," says Vladimir.

"I am not," you say defiantly.

"You think you and Anna are so different, but you are not," says Vladimir, "Hell, you're practically the same person. You have the same purpose, the same capabilities, and the same weaknesses. Don't pretend you don't know what it's like to be Anna." You shake your head and try to ride ahead a bit. He catches up with you. "Do you know how Anna died, Mira?"

"No, and I don't wish to," you say, fixating your eyes angrily on the path ahead.

"Van Helsing killed her. He turned into a werewolf and he killed her, Mira," says Vladimir.

"Vladimir!" Calls Van Helsing, "Leave her alone. Come here, Mira." You ride over to Van Helsing, who shoots Vladimir a contemptuous look. Van Helsing glances at you but he doesn't say anything. Carl is silent for once.

"Did you really kill her?" You finally whisper. Van Helsing doesn't answer. "Gabriel, I swear to God, if you killed her…"

"It was an accident, Mira," says Van Helsing steadily, "I was attacked by a werewolf. I was destined to become that which I hunt. I told her not to get in my way, but she did. She saved me, but she died in the process. It's something I can't help." You are silent.

"Are you going to kill me?" You whisper finally. He gives you an incredulous look.

"I just told you, Mira, I didn't mean to kill her," he re-explains.

"That's not what I mean," you say, looking ahead with tears in your eyes.

"Well, what do you mean then?" He asks.

"Are you destined to destroy me, Van Helsing? I'm sure you were destined to destroy her. Otherwise, I'm sure she would have lived, especially if she were like me," you rant. He is quiet.

"If I am destined to destroy you, I will find out ahead of time and send you far, far away…because I would never wish to harm you in any way, shape, or form," he finally says.

"Promise?" You ask, looking at him.

"I promise and I swear to the heavens," says Van Helsing, smiling at you. "Je t'aime trop. Je ne peux pas te destruire."(I love you too much. I cannot destroy you).

"Alors, ne le fais pas," you reply, not looking at him. (Very well then, don't).

"Stop speaking in French!" Exclaims Carl.


	11. Colliding Emotions

**Chapter Eleven: Colliding Emotions**

When you get a chance to think about it, however, you realize that it is nearly impossible to determine what lies within the future. Your destiny is going to rely solely upon your cautiousness and your abilities. It is wrong for you to get too close to any of your companions, and vice versa. You say nothing of this minute revelation.

"I can't feel my legs!" Complains Carl.

"No one can feel their legs," retorts Vladimir from the other side, "It's too cold and we've been riding too long."

"Van Helsing, we need a break! At least for the sake of the horses!" States Carl. It is now dawn and the east sky looks like wildfire.

"We will not stop until we are within the Courts of Andume," replies Van Helsing.

"For the sake of the horses…?" Repeats Carl, as if saying it a second time would make the philosophy more appealing to the monster slayer.

"Carl. We are not stopping," Van Helsing says. You look at him and then at Carl. Carl looks extremely disappointed, and puts up his hood, sulking.

The mountain range that lies beyond the forest is in plain view now. There is a wide field and then more forest, which slopes upward into magnificent snow-covered peaks. You stare at it as if you've never seen it before, when in reality, it is where you grew up.

"We'll be there by night-fall," says Van Helsing, following your gaze. You look at him. He is looking at you. Then you glance in the other direction and see Vladimir glaring at both of you. Everyone is silent now. Carl seems to be contemplating another idea.

"Van Helsing, what if we get off the horses, and walk beside them instead?" Suggests Carl modestly.

"First it's for the horses' sakes, now it's for our sakes?" Shoots Van Helsing, glaring at Carl. Carl shrugs.

"I can't feel my legs!" The friar protests once again, "It's not right! It's not natural! I am certain that they will freeze if I do not move them!" Van Helsing rolls his eyes.

"All right, everyone. Dismount your horses and lead them instead," says Van Helsing. You slip off the horse with ease, pulling the reins over in front of the horse. Van Helsing comes up alongside you.

"Thank you, Van Helsing!" Expresses Carl, "Finally, I am beginning to feel them once again." There is more silence before Van Helsing starts to talk to you again in a murmur.

"I do believe your companion has a problem," he says. You both glance over at Vladimir, who now has his attention focused on the path ahead. "Seems a little on the touchy side," adds Van Helsing. You look back at him.

"I admit I know little of him," you say quietly, "I was set up to travel with him because the priest said he would be the strongest one to travel with."

"The man lacks a steady personality, and he grows attached too quickly then," deducts Van Helsing, glancing back over at Vladimir.

"You really think he's attached?" You ask, meeting his eyes.

"I don't understand how he could not be," replies Van Helsing, "Why else would he be so on-edge about it?"

"Maybe he's just naturally paranoid and suspicious of all that goes on around him," you suggest, "It happens to people who have seen a lot of tragedy in their lives."

"I doubt that is the case," says Van Helsing.

"He's turning 201 years old at the end of this week," you reiterate.

"How is that possible?" Exclaims Van Helsing.

"I was given the elixir of life by the church," calls Vladimir. You both whip around and see him looking at you from across the path. "I am to live until I have redeemed myself," he explains. There is an awkward silence in which Van Helsing seems to be in deep contemplation of this. He looks at you and shakes his head, realizing he cannot talk without Vladimir hearing.

"That is an interesting story," says Carl, picking up the conversation, "I have read about the elixir of life, but I did not know it really existed. I would be interested to hear more of it, Vladimir."

"There is nothing left to tell. It's a liquid conjunction, made by the priests during a sacred ritual on the full moon. They have bottles of the stuff locked away in a chamber somewhere in the mountains and only use it when necessary. Small doses prolong life, large doses sustain life for eternity," says Vladimir.

"What dosage were you given?" Asks Carl. Vladimir gives him a sidelong glance.

"Large dose," he states.

"Does it give you any powers?" Continues Carl, fascinated.

"No, I'm still fairly mortal… just with triple the experience of most mortals," states Vladimir. Van Helsing takes you by the waist and pulls you in between your horses for a smoldering kiss, which lingers for several minutes while Carl is talking to Vladimir. You have to watch that your feet do not get tangled as you walk along being consumed by his lips.

"…that is very interesting!" States Carl, "Isn't that interesting, Van Helsing?"

"Mmm-mm-mm-M!" Answers Van Helsing, not really caring that Carl is asking him a question at the moment.

"Van Helsing?" Questions Carl.

"Van Helsing is too busy trying to suck off Miss DeLune's face," says Vladimir haughtily, "And not doing too well, might I add." Then he mutters, "God knows the woman must have been born a whore." Van Helsing releases you abruptly, drawing his sword and swerving around out of the horses.

"What did you say?" He demands. Vladimir seems surprised for a second. You peek around your horse. Everyone has now stopped and Van Helsing stands with his blade pointed at Vladimir.

"N-n-n-nothing," stutters Vladimir.

"Do you think you know everything because you're 200 years old?" Asks Van Helsing, "Do you know how to slay Dracula? Can you say you have EVER been on the side of what is right?" Van Helsing looks very angry and Vladimir looks as if he is trapped. "God, I would kill you in an instant if you were not sent by the priest," states Van Helsing. Vladimir does not respond. He just stands with his reins loosely in hand, staring at Van Helsing. Van Helsing finally lowers his weapon and re-sheaths it, returning to you, "Don't take pity for granted. It is not so freely given in the world of the evil."

"Can we ride now?" Asks Carl, hesitantly. Van Helsing does not verbally respond. He mounts his horse with rigor, giving you a firm boost onto yours. Vladimir mounts silently, and Carl fumbles getting up. When he's finally seated in his horse, he has to situate himself. It provides amusement to watch the friar try to force himself out of potential disarray and you smile to yourself.

Van Helsing finally looks at you and his anger seems to vanish. He pats you on the shoulder. "My intentions were good," he mutters and then turns back to the path. You smile slightly and look ahead. You are now entering the clearing. It is mostly untouched, except for large prints tromping through the midsection. You stop in the middle and Van Helsing dismounts, getting down to examine.

He curses, under his breath and then quickly mounts again.

"Pick up speed," he commands. No one questions and you all kick your horses into canters.

"What's wrong?" You ask him. He looks at you worriedly. The wind rushes past, blowing his and your hair wildly into streams of color in the frigid air.

"We're passing on the territory of wolves," he states, "We'll be lucky if we live through the night."


	12. Among Wolves

**Chapter Twelve: Among Wolves**

You ride as fast as the horses will go, straight through the afternoon, with barely a stop for something to eat. Then the sun seems to set very quickly, but you realize this is due to the mountains that are looming overhead. Van Helsing has an intense expression on his face, as if he plans to reach the Courts of Andume before the sun can set.

"We do not stop or slow down for the night," he finally says to the company, "That would only put our lives more at stake." No one dares to counteract this, since he seems fairly set upon it.

The sky overhead is darkening much too quickly. Van Helsing is glancing nervously about the woods already, as though he expects an attack as soon as the sun sets.

"Stop," Van Helsing finally says. You give him an inquisitive look (as well as everyone else) and stop. He listens. Then you all hear it: wolves howling in the distance. They are maybe about four miles behind you. Van Helsing looks about the company. "Now go," he says, "And don't look back. Just keep riding." You all kick your horses into mad gallops and fly through the forest.

Van Helsing rides steadily alongside you. "I should have known that Dracula would still pursue us, even though we should be on peaceful terms at the moment," he mutters to you.

"There is never any peace with Dracula," you state, "Dracula knows no peace."

"While this is true, he can negotiate and hold to specific terms. Unfortunately, I don't believe we specified that he should not follow us and just wait until we arrived in the city," Replies Van Helsing. He glances back and then at you.

"I thought you said not to look back," you say, smiling at him.

"I didn't mean so for myself," he replies, looking steadily at you. Now it is dusk. The east sky is beginning to fill with stars, but their warmth is not sufficient enough to melt away the dreadful feeling in the air. The wolves howl again. They are closer. Now they are but three miles or so away. "Ride, Mira," says Van Helsing. You look at him. He smiles quickly and then turns his horse back.

"Gabriel!" You cry. He waves and disappears in the trees behind you. "Go on, Carl and Vladimir. Just follow the path. We will meet you," you say, swerving your horse around and going after Van Helsing. Vladimir shoots you a look but he keeps riding ahead. "Van Helsing?" You ask, slowing up your horse when you see no sign of him. "Van Helsing?" You ask again.

You look around the dark hollow you have ridden into. You dismount to get a closer look at the hoof prints, in order to decipher which way Van Helsing went.

"Mira, don't move," a voice whispers. You hear Van Helsing loading his crossbow. You stay still and lift only your eyes to see a wolf ready to spring about ten yards from you. The wolf growls viciously and takes a step forward. "Mira, listen to me," says Van Helsing from the shadows, "Once I fire, I want you to mount your horse, and ride after Carl and Vladimir."

"I won't leave you," you state.

"Don't be stubborn, Mira. Your life is at stake. Do as I say," he commands firmly. He loads the spring of his crossbow and fires at the beast. You quickly mount your horse and swerve back, going after Carl and Vladimir.

Behind you, a battle rages between Van Helsing and the wolves. But you can only hear the crossbow firing repetitively. You hear something running in the trees beside you and quicken the horse's strides. Suddenly, Dracula's winged form emerges in front of you and the horse rears, throwing you backwards. You land in the snow as your horse runs off wildly and Dracula returns to his vampire-self. His eyes blaze as he approaches you.

"Alone, in the forest," he says, smirking, "Hm…what would be the proper etiquette in this situation…" He narrows his eyes as if in thought and then continues to approach you. You slide up quickly onto your feet and draw your sword. He laughs, looking at the sword. "You don't learn very fast, do you?" He comments, keeping a short distance from you. "So, what are you going to do, Mira? There are wolves behind you, and I am in front of you." He raises a brow and paces the width of the path. You do not answer, because you do not know how to. The Count has made an undeniable point which seems to imply that there is now no escape. You try not to quiver.

Dracula closes his eyes. He claps his hands in rhythm with your heart. "Your pulse is quickening, my love," he states, still pacing and clapping. You force yourself to breathe evenly, but it is really too late to maintain composure. Your sword is shaking uncontrollably in your faltering grip. He opens his eyes and stares at you. "Well, Mira, time is up," he says, his eyes beginning to gleam. You stare back at him, but not at his eyes.

"What do you want from me, Count?" You finally ask, lowering your sword.

"I want Van Helsing," he states, "I want Van Helsing dead."

"You are going to devote your time to destroying Van Helsing?" You ask, "Could you not be doing something with greater benefits such as recruiting new brides, or, plotting world-domination?" You ask sarcastically. Dracula hisses at you angrily. You smile daringly. "I am not afraid of you," you say out-loud, even though you are scared to death. He moves closer to you, trying to look you directly in the eyes. You stand still, looking directly at his brows.

"Look into my eyes, Mira," says Dracula in a deep voice. You focus on his eyebrows. "My eyes," he hisses, grabbing your chin and forcing your eyes to lock on his. He smirks, drawing you in closer by the waist. "For your information, I need only one bride," he says quietly in your ear, "Having more than that requires much more maintenance." He jerks you in against him and you gasp, falling under his spell. He pushes you back, exposing your neck. You look at him drowsily. His fangs expose themselves and his eyes glow like rings of fire. "One brief moment of pain…" he whispers, reaching down towards your neck.

Suddenly there is a large thud and Dracula goes flying backward. Van Helsing sweeps your drowsy form into his arms and charges past the disoriented vampire. There is a horrible cry and behind you, Dracula rises into his flying form and takes up the chase. There is also a multitude of wolves howling. Van Helsing curses loudly, though trying to keep it under his breath. You reawaken and look at Van Helsing.

"What happened?" You ask.

"No time to explain. Here, take the reins," he says, seating you in front of him. He turns his upper body and starts firing at those in pursuit. The large sweeping sound of Dracula's wings echoes throughout the forest and the wolves howl angrily, charging mercilessly. Van Helsing kicks the horse to go faster. You direct expertly along the path, taking the turns with ease. The whole world is just flying by in a whir, and it's making you dizzy. Finally, you see your horse running alongside you.

"Have we lost them yet?" You ask.

"For the time," states Van Helsing, turning back around.

"Good, well, that would be my horse," you say, handing him the reins and performing a daring leap onto your horse. You take up the reins and gallop beside Van Helsing, "What are we going to do, Gabriel?" You ask.

"We're going to pray to God that Dracula gives up the chase. I think he knows where we're going," answers Van Helsing. He keeps glancing back. "You shouldn't have followed me, Mira," He says.

"I wasn't letting you go alone," you reply.

"I appreciate the fact that you care, but I told you to ride on ahead. You should have listened," says Van Helsing.

"Why should I be taking orders from you, Mr. Van Helsing?" You reply, grinning at him, "It is, after all, my country, and not yours." He glances over at you, his eyes sparkling.

"And I do believe I am the better equipped as far as dealing with these situations," states Van Helsing dryly. You both hear the sweeping sound of Dracula's wings and look back just in time to duck, avoiding his deadly claws. The horses whinny in fear and dig their hooves into the ground, stopping. They almost throw you and Van Helsing over their heads, but you hold on tight. Dracula sweeps down to the ground and becomes his vampire form once more.

"I was not finished, Gabriel," he hisses, glaring at Van Helsing.

"No, but you are now," states Van Helsing, moving his horse in front of you. Dracula laughs.

"You are too weak, Gabriel," he says.

"I told you we would be in the city in five days time. Could you not at least grant us safe passage?" Demands Van Helsing. The wolves have gathered about a hundred yards away and stare out of the shadowy trees hungrily. You glance nervously at them and then return your eyes to the Count. He smiles at you and you look away again.

"I've changed my mind, Gabriel," says Dracula, still staring at you, "I don't want you dead. I just want you out of my way," he says, "What I want, is the girl." Your eyes grow wide and you stare at him now. He is smiling evilly.

"Fine, take the girl. Take her once we have reached the city. And grant us safe passage for the rest of the way," states Van Helsing.

"Van Helsing…!" You protest, but he isn't looking at you.

"The first wish I can grant you. The second, I cannot," states Dracula, his eyes gleaming.

"It will be both, or none, Count," says Van Helsing boldly. Dracula frowns. He pauses a moment, thinking.

"Fine. You shall have both conditions," he says. He snaps his fingers and the wolf pack disperses. You look desperately between Van Helsing and Dracula, outraged that he would organize such a trade. You would rather die. Dracula looks at you, smiling evilly. "I'll be seeing you, Mira…" He says. You shudder at the sound of his voice. Then he grows back his wings and disappears over the treetops.

"How could you!" You cry at Van Helsing, enraged. "You give me to your enemy! How could you!" You try to throw a punch at him but he grabs your fists and then meets your eyes calmly. He shakes his head.

"Do you honestly think I would give the woman I love to the devil?" He asks. Your eyes fill with tears and you weep, surrendering to his arms. "Shh…" he whispers, stroking your hair, "He is still lying, anyway. He wants me dead, regardless. So it matters not what I say, because I am not inclined to keep my word." Once you partially recover, you start riding again. Although this time, everything seems hopeless to you, no matter what anyone says anymore. You have even lost your trust in Van Helsing, despite his assurance.


	13. Close Encounter

**Chapter Thirteen: Close Encounter**

After an hour of riding, you are caught up with Carl and Vladimir.

"Well?" Asks Vladimir, as you ride up. You just glare at him and say nothing.

"A plan is formulating in my mind, but we will discuss it at dawn when we have reached the Courts of Andume," says Van Helsing. He looks as if he is trying to get your attention, but you ignore the fact that you noticed. You are far too hurt and dismayed to speak with him at the moment and so ride along in silence.

It is then that you realize how incredibly tired, hungry, and thirsty you are. So you take out your canteen and have a sip of water, but screw the cap back on quickly so that it doesn't freeze. You have a bite to eat as well, just enough to sustain you until a proper meal that is. You cannot do anything about your fatigue, so you stare straight ahead, resting.

"These horses never tire," comments Van Helsing.

"They are Transylvanian horses. They do not tire easily," you reply, still not looking at him. He gives up on trying to get your attention. Vladimir is smirking to himself.

"What happened back there, Mira?" He asks, almost as if he knows for some reason.

"Nothing," you state, "Leastways, none of your business." He frowns and then says nothing.

"Well, we certainly are making excellent time!" Says Carl, trying to lighten up the situation, "We shall be in the Courts of Andume at dawn!"

"That is the plan," says Van Helsing. His good mood has vanished. Silence ensues once again.

The ground ahead begins to slope upward into a narrow path. You halt your horses at the foot of the path. You all glance around at one another. Vladimir rolls his eyes.

"Fine, I'll lead," he states, kicking his horse into a light walk. Van Helsing follows him. You follow Van Helsing. And Carl then brings up the rear.

"I don't like the looks of this road," says Carl. Van Helsing chuckles.

"Carl, you're paranoid," says Van Helsing, "It's just a road."

"Single file is dangerous…one can easily get plucked off the path," says Carl.

"Well then, we'll just have to be extra careful of the friar in the back," says Van Helsing sarcastically.

"Van Helsing, I resent that!" Says Carl.

"Stop complaining, Carl," calls Van Helsing, "Nothing is going to go wrong."

"Don't say that," you interject, glaring at him. He whirls around to look at you, triumphant that he now has your attention. You blink.

"Why not?" He asks, as if he already knows the answer, but he should ask anyway.

"Have you ever heard of speaking too soon?" You finally say, keeping your eyes narrowed at him.

"Why, in fact, I have heard of such a thing. Are you suggesting that I am giving us bad luck by saying we will meet no trouble on this road?" He asks mildly, batting his eyes, mocking you in some absurd way. You growl. He grins and then turns back to the path.

"Yes, I do suggest such a thing," you say defiantly.

"Let's see if you are right then," he says, "Because Dracula has granted us safe passage."

"Since when did Dracula stick to his terms?" You ask.

"Dracula never sticks to his terms. I think we are in for trouble," states Vladimir from the front. Van Helsing narrows his eyes.

"Mira," whispers Carl. You turn around just in time to see a werewolf behind him, about to spring.

"Carl, don't move," you whisper to him.

"Van Helsing," You call.

"What is it, Mira?" Asks Van Helsing annoyed.

"Van Helsing," you repeat.

"What?" He fumes, jerking around. He sees the werewolf. "Oh," he states, too surprised to think of a better response. The werewolf growls menacingly. You load a silver bullet into your pistol and take aim.

"Carl, whatever you do…don't get bitten…when I shoot, swing underneath your horse. Then let me handle it," you say. You hear Van Helsing loading his crossbow and glare at him.

"Not alone," says Van Helsing, "Carl, you ride past with Vladimir. Mira and I will get this." Carl looks completely petrified, which is probably why the werewolf hasn't yet attacked. Without wasting another minute, you fire directly at the werewolf's heart. It lunges at you. Carl ducks underneath his horse, plummeting to the ground and hanging out of the stirrups, sliding along the ground, while the horse charges. You jump out of your horse and fall to the ground, firing at the thing as it starts to come down on you. Van Helsing starts rapidly firing with his crossbow and then leaps off his horse, countering the werewolf with a thud in the air. You shoot at it again, trying to prevent it from biting Van Helsing.

The werewolf falters and howls, backing away from Van Helsing. He shoots at it again. It whimpers in pain and then shrinks away to the shadows where it transforms into an unidentifiable man, gasps, and dies.

Van Helsing slowly gets up, his crossbow still drawn. He is breathless. You are shaking uncontrollably as he gets up. You both stare at the dead man in the shadows, and then approach. The horses have run off up the path by now. Neither of you recognizes the face.

"I don't know how it's possible," you finally state, "It's not a full moon yet."

"I know how it's possible," says Van Helsing, catching his breath and twisting his face slightly in pain. There are claw marks on his shoulder, but he has not been bitten. "Dracula," he states. You finally look at him with tears of worry in your eyes.

"What are we going to do?" You ask quietly. He puts his arm around you, shouldering his crossbow. You start walking up the path.

"We're going to find sanctuary in the Courts of Andume, and take it from there," he says. You walk a while in silence. "Are you mad at me, Mira?" Asks Van Helsing. You look at him, meeting his eyes. You do not answer at first.

"No, Gabriel. I'm not mad at you," you finally say, looking away.

"But you're disappointed," he says. You shrug slightly.

"I suppose," you answer.

"I didn't really make the trade, Mira," he says.

"You say that. But I fear what your plans may be," you counter softly, staring at the path ahead. He sighs, rubbing his eyes.

"You're not going to like my plans…" he says, "You're not going to like them at all."

"Well do you care to elaborate then?" You ask, annoyed. He sighs once again.

"It involves using you as bait," he says. You stare at him, shocked.

"You would risk me?" You ask incredulously. He frowns.

"I don't look at it that way. I figured, you wanted to get back into the city. Dracula wants you. But, he also wants me dead. You see, if I send you into the city in order to divert his attention, you may be able to hold him off for a while so we can figure out what needs to be done. Then we can rescue you and carry out what needs to be carried out," he explains.

"That is insane. It will never work," you state dryly.

"It will work if we send you into the city in a weak condition," he says, "Dracula will not make a move on you unless you are strong enough to resist. He wants the resistance. It would make you stronger as a vampire."

"I will not enter my city in a weak state!" You protest. Van Helsing frowns, shaking his head.

"We'll see if Carl and Vladimir have any better plans, if they have plans at all. There just isn't enough time, we need to stall for it," he says.

"And you plan to use me as your puppet?" You ask dryly, "I think not, Mr. Van Helsing." He cocks his head, looking at you.

"Oh I do believe you will do whatever the majority suggests, as will I. So I would not think that way if I were you," he says. You draw away from him, walking with two feet in between you now. "I love you, Mira. You're here to help. It might be dangerous, it might be life-threatening, but I swear to God I will die before Dracula can make you his bride." You stare at him, wide-eyed.

"No," you say softly, "Don't say that… it's what he wants you to say."


	14. The Courts of Andume

**Chapter Fourteen: The Courts of Andume**

It takes about an hour to find the horses. Then, once you have mounted, you ride up the path in search of Carl and Vladimir.

"Safe passage indeed," snorts Van Helsing.

"Your fault," you mutter. He sighs. In a few minutes, Carl and Vladimir are visible. You catch up to them and Carl gives you a frightened look.

"Is it dead?" He asks, looking nervously around the trees.

"He's dead," you answer. Vladimir glances at you and then ahead again. The path breaks apart and opens into a deep, snowy valley. On the far side looms a huge, stone castle.

"Welcome to the Valley of the Courts of Andume," says Vladimir. You all gather at the end of the path, reins loosely in hand. "Let's go," Vladimir says.

"Wait!" You command, stopping them, "The valley should never be entered during the night." You gaze down into the valley, which is a swirling abyss of fog.

"I have lived here. I know the ways," states Vladimir defiantly. You lock eyes with him. "Your people cannot wait any longer!" He protests.

"My people would do better if we tried to stay alive instead of thrusting ourselves into a dark death wish!" You counter angrily. Van Helsing snickers slightly. Vladimir looks about ready to burst.

"So, you're going to wait until whatever is following us catches up?" He fumes. You relax in the saddle, annoyed.

"Vladimir, it is one hour until dawn," you state, "Whatever may be following us is still far behind. Otherwise, Van Helsing and I would have been ambushed." Vladimir growls to himself, but says nothing more. Van Helsing dismounts and ties his horse off to a tree, rather resolvedly. "What are you doing?" You ask.

"I'm making a fire and warming up some food," he states, pulling out some kindling wood.

"Fire will attract attention," you say, "Dracula will know we are here."

"Dracula already knows we're here," says Vladimir. He points to the castle and you see a great winged creature sitting on the roof. It immediately lifts its wings and flies into the fog, disappearing. Van Helsing continues his work, creating a fire in minutes. He then takes out some salted meats and cooks them.

You finally dismount with reluctance and join him. Carl and Vladimir exchange glances, and Carl dismounts. Vladimir, however, stays perched upon his horse alertly, while the rest of you eat in silence. All around you, shadows lurk in unrevealed mystery. You feel watched from every angle, but the air is so still that it seems almost uninterruptible.

At approximately five minutes to dawn, your pursuer becomes audible. There is a horrid cry from about a mile down the path. "Well, time to go," says Van Helsing abruptly, grabbing his supplies and snuffing out the fire. You all spring upon your horses and grab up the reins. Vladimir shakes his head as he kicks his horse into motion. You follow suit and descend into the valley.

The fog seems to spiral upwards as you go down, swirling around the horse's hooves until finally, you are enveloped within it. You can barely see over your head now. All is in a dark whirl. You realize that if the sun does not rise soon, you will all get lost. You also sense something else down in the rolling mists, and it is not human.

"Mira," calls a voice.

"Mira," calls another.

"Van Helsing, I can't see a damn thing!" Exclaims Carl. You smile at this remark, but your smile soon fades as you realize how incredibly dangerous this really is.

"Mira," calls another voice, "Come to me." You stop.

"Van Helsing?" You ask nervously. Someone laughs. It sounds familiar, but it is none of your company. "Van Helsing?" You ask louder.

"Right here, Mira," says Van Helsing, emerging beside you.

"We're not alone," you whisper. Carl emerges on your other side. He seems dazed. You all move forward slowly, the fog thinning in between the three of you.

"Where is Vladimir?" Asks Carl. You hear a growl in the mists, several yards away. Vladimir cries out.

"Away! Foul beast!" Yells Vladimir.

"Move back!" You command. Your horse is becoming uneasy. Van Helsing is hesitant, but he and Carl move back. You remove the light-generating device. "Vladimir, close your eyes!" You yell, hurling it in the direction of the growls. You quickly turn your horse away and charge back with Van Helsing and Carl. There is a burning flash and Dracula emits a horrible cry. Looking back after the flash, you see him rise almost blindly, and then flee.

You rein up your horse, which is quite stupefied by the light, and continue downhill. The sun peeks into the valley and the fog begins to disperse. Riding along, you sweep the device off the ground, re-pocketing it carefully. Then you see Vladimir on the ground, gasping for breath. You leap off your horse and kneel at his side.

"Vladimir," you whisper, "What happened?" He pushes you away.

"Kill me, Mira," he says, handing you a silver stake. He is quivering. You shake your head.

"I don't understand," you say.

"I've been bitten," you states, revealing the two dots on his neck. He looks at you desperately, in a sweat, "Please, Mira."

"Vladimir, did you drink his blood?" You ask. He shakes his head, coughing and struggling.

"No, but I am dying," he says. You shake your head.

"No, Vladimir…you…you can't die," you say, tears in your eyes. Carl and Van Helsing ride up. "You're not through. You must redeem yourself," you say. He shakes his head, smiling at you. Then, he passes out. Van Helsing jumps down and checks the wound. Then, he checks for a pulse.

"He'll be fine," Van Helsing states, "There is enough left in him to pull through. We will get him to the Courts of Andume and give him food and water when he awakes." Van Helsing shoulders Vladimir with seeming ease, and places him on his horse. "Come, Mira," he says. You rise slowly, looking at the silver stake. You meet Van Helsing's eyes and then place the stake in your bag, trying to make sense of these recent events. No decent explanation occurs to you.

The sun has melted away the fog and there is a clear path to the Courts of Andume. You walk your horses up the slope and through an ancient-looking archway. It does not look so menacing in the daylight. You pass through a snowy garden, covered in thorns and other brittle branches. The whole place is dead-looking. You find yourself randomly wondering about what it looks like in the spring.

You finally tie up the horses and move all supplies into the sanctuary. Van Helsing moves Vladimir onto a cot and shakes his head. "Such a brave soul…" he says. You look down into the valley and see something running in the snow. Van Helsing shields his eyes and then looks at you. "Vladimir's horse," he says. He mounts his own horse. "I'll be back," he says, before riding after it. You look at Carl.

"Let's go inside," you suggest.

Once inside, you light a roaring fire in the fireplace, and clean up the area a bit. Since it is going to be your base, you might as well make it as homey as possible.

"So how did you happen upon my light device?" Asks Carl. You look at him.

"Father Delavego gave it to me," you reply, looking at him, "I didn't realize it was yours." He beams.

"It is mine," he states. You smile back.

"It is very helpful," you say, turning back to setting up.

"When do you think Vladimir will wake?" Asks Carl, looking at the unconscious Vladimir.

"Soon, I hope," you reply, setting some food over the fire. There is an awkward silence.

"So, what is this place?" Asks Carl.

"It was a military base back in the fifteenth century, built by the earlier Transylvanians. You can clearly see the time period by the design. It is very religiously oriented; a common thing in the dark ages. It is said that the guardians of the mountain range lived here after the wars were done. Then, it was blessed in the sixteenth century by a traveling priest from Rome. Dracula had wanted to use it as a base for when he went to war, but there was nothing he could do to break the holiness laid upon it. So, he cursed the premises instead, so that his enemy would not be able to enter," you relay, "And it has for the most part been abandoned, as far as rulers go." Van Helsing enters, taking off his hat.

"That damn beast is scarred for life, I would say," he says, sitting down with you. He sighs, stretching. "Well, I hate to be so on top of things, but our plan must be formulated. What are your ideas, Carl?"

"All I know is that we must find out how to truly defeat Dracula, and I have nothing more than that," Carl states. Van Helsing sighs, looking down at his hat.

"I doubt Vladimir has anything reasonable," he mutters, "What about you, Mira?"

"Take the city in daylight," you say, "Drive Dracula back to his icy fortress so that we can do the necessary research in the castle. That is where all the information is." Van Helsing stares at you.

"And you thought I was crazy?" He asks, blinking at you. He looks at Carl, who shrugs.

"She does have a point," Carl says, "All of the information is in the castle."

"All right. My plan seems to be the most organized," says Van Helsing.

"We have two days!" You protest.

"I think Dracula expects you sooner," says Van Helsing morosely, approaching you. You jump up and back away, drawing your sword. Van Helsing gets up and walks toward you, slowly but fearlessly.

"I don't want to go!" You say fiercely. He seizes your sword and wrestles you to the ground, pinning your hands to the floor. You struggle, but it is no use. He is nearly twice your size and much stronger.

"Listen to me, Mira. I have it all worked out," he says.

"No!" You say through gritted teeth. "Carl, help me!" You say desperately. Carl whimpers.

"Carl, remember what I told you," says Van Helsing, a tone of warning in his voice.

"Gabriel, please…" You whisper, tears in your eyes, "I don't want to go…" He looks down at you with compassion.

"Mira…I don't want you to go either, but it's the only way," he says softly, "Just listen, okay?" You nod reluctantly. He pulls out a tiny vial. "If he attacks, kill yourself."

"I shall not reach heaven!" You cry.

"God will forgive you," says Van Helsing, enclosing the vial in your hand. You place it in your corset. "This is selfless action, not selfish. Show no signs of strength. Be weary always, as if you are sick. If you resist at all, do so weakly. He will not take you if you are not strong. Trust me. Delay to every last moment…I know the nights are long, but you must pretend your senses are dull. You will know when we come for you."

"I can't do it!" You say, "I can't! Not with a creature so vile!" He is binding your wrists now. Carl looks guilty. "Please no! Please!" You cry, struggling again. Van Helsing shakes his head, carrying you outside. He places you on your horse, securing your feet to the stirrups with rope. He looks into your eyes and holds the reins, as if he is hesitant to let go. "You want me to die, don't you?" You cry, trying to undo your hands. It is completely useless. Van Helsing stares at you with profound tears in his eyes and shakes his head again.

"I have to be strong, Mira. I have to be strong to carry this out. If I wasn't strong, then I would never demand that you trust me. But hear me, Mira. Trust me. This is the way. God is telling me that this is the way," Van Helsing says, grasping your hand, "I don't want to lose you, Mira. If I did, I would die. You have to trust me…because…if you don't trust me… there's no point in my living." You stare at him through tear-stricken eyes and weep. He wipes away your tears and forces you to look at him again. "I love you, Mira DeLune. I will come for you," he says softly. He kisses you deeply. You stare at him helplessly as he takes out a bottle and sprays you lightly in the face. You black out slowly. "Carry her home," you hear him say. Then he smacks the horse and you are riding.

Though, you cannot feel the rhythm of the horse; you are unconscious.


	15. The Count's Spell

**Chapter Fifteen: The Count's Spell**

You wake in total darkness.

"It appears to me that Van Helsing has not been treating you well," hisses a voice, somewhere in the darkness. You stay silent, trying to keep your heartbeat steady. "No matter. There is still time." There is a clap and the candles flare up, revealing a frowning Count Dracula. Your hands are unbound, and the room is unfamiliar to you. It is heavily draped with red velvet. He walks up to you, hands behind his back. "I am surprised that Van Helsing sent you so much earlier than he had promised. I think I will give him two days until I kill him," he says. You glare at him. He smiles and flicks a piece of hair out of your eye. "And how are you, my dear?" He asks. You want to kill him, badly.

"I was forced to come here," you state. He laughs.

"Of course you were, my dear," he says, smiling, "But I guarantee you will not regret coming." He walks away towards the door. "Rest to your heart's content, Mira. And then join me down the hall," he says, before leaving quietly. You get up and look out the window. The room is very warm, you realize. Looking out the window, you recognize this as your castle. But you are in the tower that you have never before visited. It is strange that you are a prisoner in your own home. Lightning flashes and you jump at the violent crack of thunder. You should have fought Van Helsing harder, but it is too late now.

You look around the room. There is a dresser, a large mirror, a changing screen, and an enormous closet. Looking in the closet, you see an array of ball gowns; all various colors…and all your size. You slam the closet door shut in disgust and fling yourself back onto the bed. "Why did you do this to me, Gabriel?" You whisper. There is another flash of lightning and the thunder booms threateningly.

You lay there for almost an hour before even thinking about going down to meet Dracula.

The door opens again. You don't move. You are laying face down, pretending that you are asleep. The Count hovers over you. "Mira…" He says softly. You don't respond; you don't want to. "I know you are awake," he says, circling the bed.

"What do you want?" You say in a muffled voice, still not moving.

"You need nourishment, my love. You are weak," he says charismatically.

"I'm not hungry," you say quietly.

"Come, it will make you feel better," he assures, running a cold hand along your back. You quickly flip over in a shiver. He smiles at you and laughs softly. "Come," he says, holding out a hand. You look at his hand as if this is a foreign motion, and finally take it, getting up cautiously. He drops his hand and leads you by the waist, through the door and down the corridor.

"I don't understand of what use I am to you," you grumble, walking down the stairwell with him.

"You have many uses," he answers, walking soundlessly.

"Van Helsing is not coming for me," you say, "He doesn't want me." You do not let the lie show through your eyes. You force yourself to believe it and even get to the point of tears.

"Well, I want you, and I will have you, forever. Just, not yet," he states, frowning.

"Why don't you just take me now?" You ask, "Take me while I am weak."

"A bride must be strong," he explains, "Other humans will sustain me until you are ready." He does not look at you, but his expression is cold and loveless.

"I want to be loved," you state, looking directly at him, "Not used."

"Well, lucky for you, you get both," he says dryly, as if he is starting to get annoyed with you. Then he seems to relax as you enter the dining hall. "You will learn," he assures. He waves his hand at the food set upon the table. "Eat. I will return." He leaves you to your own will; a mistake on his part. But you know there is no point in trying to escape because he will just track you down again. So you sit down reluctantly and have something to eat. You hate to admit it, but the food is very good and you take quite a bit, only to realize that you should not eat so much because it will make you stronger; and the weaker you really are, the weaker you can make yourself seem.

Almost immediately after you finish, Dracula re-enters.

"Feeling better, my dear?" He asks. You stare at him glumly. He smiles, putting a cold arm around you and leading you up the stairs once again. "I do hope you will attend my ball tomorrow evening. It has been so long since this castle has thrown a proper one for the holidays," he says. You don't answer. You are just wishing desperately that Van Helsing will come to save you. But you know you still have a while yet. "I believe there is a beautiful red ball gown in your closet that would look perfect on you," Dracula says.

"How about blue or white," You counter quickly; not looking at him.

"But, my dear…red is my favorite color. And so fitting for the occasion," he says charmingly. You walk down the corridor, trying not to cringe too much at his touch. "Soon, you will be accustomed to being cold," he says, his eyes gleaming. You resist the urge to deny this remark.

"Why me, Vladislaus?" You ask, stopping him and looking at him. He seems surprised at this question, as if he would never expect it to come from you. The lightning flashes off of his face. Frightened, you step back away from him, but he follows.

"You are beautiful," he says in a low voice, "And strong…" He steps unbearably close to you and presses you gently against the wall. Hypnotized, you don't resist when his lips touch yours for what seems like an eternity. But he stops before going too far, somehow realizing that you might have limits to such activity. He smiles at you. "Hm," he says and then continues leading you in silence, as if he is contemplating deeply. You are now walking in drowsiness, half hypnotized and half aware. One half of you is saying to have enjoyed that thoroughly. The other half is resenting it. You wonder which is the right one.

"You know something about me," you say, glaring at him. He smiles secretively to himself.

"Yes, and if you're a good girl, maybe I will tell you," he chuckles. You cringe. He leads you into your room. "As you've probably guessed, these are your current staying quarters. In a couple nights, I will move you somewhere much better furnished…more…comfortable, if you're good." He releases you and goes into the closet, returning with a deep red dress; the color of blood, no mistake. "And this is what I would have you wear tomorrow evening," he says, laying the dress over a chair. He pulls out a pocket watch, looking at the time. "Well. It is growing late. I think you best retire, my love," he says, pulling you close by the waist again. He scarcely kisses you again; but it is more like he is gently touching your lips with his in more of an exploring manner. It is slowly trapping you within his spell.

"Don't…" You whisper, tears in your eyes. His lips slide down over your neck, caressing but not biting. He lays you gently upon the bed. You are now partially hypnotized and fast approaching a dreaming state.

"I think you will enjoy your stay here, Miss DeLune…" He whispers fiercely, pulling the covers over you, "In fact, I promise it." With a clap, the candles go out and you are once again in darkness. You easily fall into sleep, with the Count's spell heavy upon you.


	16. Disheartening Discoveries

Chapter Sixteen: Disheartening Discoveries 

You break from the vampire's trance at noon and wake abruptly. It is dark and snowy outside. You feel very groggy, but comforted that Count Dracula is probably sleeping. You get up slowly and walk to the door. Surprisingly, it opens when you turn the handle. Your heart leaps for joy as you traipse out into the hall and descend the stairs. You hope that none of the Count's servants are around.

Your current plan of action is to get to the tower on the other side of the castle. In that tower, there is information regarding Dracula; stored in a secret room. You think that he cannot have found it yet, and hope that he has not destroyed any artifacts that might potentially aid you in his destruction. You travel through all the back halls, seeing no one. The place appears to be deserted, which you find odd. Then again, why should it not be odd? The Count cannot go about in daylight, so his servants are probably not used to working at such hours.

Then, however, when you are about to cross the dining hall, you see guards and retract into the shadows. There are only two ways to get to the tower: either through the dining hall or through the dungeon. You will just have to try the dungeon. You do not really want to know what foul things could be down there, but it is your only choice. There is no way that the guards would let you pass without an intense fight. Furtively, you backtrack to the dungeon door, and slip in soundlessly.

The spiral staircase is lit by torches all the way down. This is the first time you have ever seen it looking used. Your footsteps echo like hollow clicks on the winding path, making it appear as if your steps were all around you. When you get to the foot of the stairs, you stop short, seeing a guard. But when he lets out a peaceful snore, you sigh, relieved, and slip past. The end of the row deeps into solid darkness, so you take a torch from the wall.

"Mira?" Asks a voice from a nearby cell. You whirl around, startled, and see Father Delavego in the shadows.

"Father Delavego!" You exclaim, rushing to the cell.

"What are you doing here?" He asks, "You're supposed to be on a mission!"

"I am a prisoner," you say, "And Dracula's bride-in-waiting, if all plans fall through." You smile grimly.

"Did you get Van Helsing?" He asks. You nod.

"He and Carl are in the Courts of Andume. They sent me to Dracula as bait. All I know is that I am to kill myself if they do not rescue me," you answer.

"Merciful God!" Exclaims the priest, "I assure you they will learn nothing in the Courts of Andume. Your destiny is in your own hands, I'm afraid."

"What should I do, father?" You ask.

"The information is in the tower. But it's all in Latin," replies the priest. You glance daringly down at the sleeping guard.

"How long will it take to translate?" You ask, looking at him. He smiles.

"I can be down here again before sleeping beauty awakes, if that's what you mean," he answers. You grin and run down the hall, snatching the keys with ease and releasing the priest.

"Come on," you urge, leading him deep into the dark of the passage. "So did Dracula imprison you himself?" You ask.

"Yes. Dracula may be friends with Satan, but he at least knows enough to fear God. Killing me would have done him no good, and neither would allowing me to be free. So, he locked me away," explains the priest. You start up another winding staircase that is pitch black.

"Father, if I become Dracula's bride and I cannot kill myself, please stake me," you say, "Promise me."

"With the grace of God…" he answers softly.

"With the grace of God," you repeat, finally reaching the door. You open it and light all the candles, setting the torch in a light holder. The room looks as if it is unused, so you hope that this is the case.

"The painting," says the priest, hitting a pillar on the wall. A painting appears, showing two knights about to battle each other. "Now, watch closely," says the priest. He reads the Latin inscriptions on the sides. The figures move to fight each other and then burst out of their armor, revealing a werewolf and a winged creature. You jump in surprise but watch the painting closely. The werewolf defeats the winged creature, and both turn back into men. However, the man that was the werewolf puts his sword through the heart of the dead man. Then, the sun rises and the dead man turns to ashes. This last sequence takes only four seconds to occur, so you guess that this was missed by Van Helsing and Carl.

"His body does not perish until the light of day shall vanquish," you say aloud.

"That is not in the inscription," says the priest, "The only thing the inscription identifies is that solely a werewolf can kill Dracula."

"Then a piece of the inscription is missing," you say. You run your hands along the edges and discover a crack at the bottom. You exchange glances with the priest. "There is a panel beneath it," you say. The priest says nothing. You get down on the floor and run your hands along the panel. There is a hissing sound and it opens about an inch, forming a door. Gripping the edge of the door, you swing it open and wait a second so that your eyes can adjust to the dark.

As you focus in on the darkness, you notice that it is some sort of low room; maybe ten feet by ten feet at most. In the back is a tarnished gold plate with what seems to be the remainder of the inscription. There is a box-like structure in the middle. But as your eyes focus in on the "box," you realize it isn't a box at all. It is a stone coffin, with low stone steps leading to it. You fall back on your hands, horrified, and slam the panel shut.

You leap to your feet and exchange a desperate glance with the priest. "We must get out of here. Now," you say. The priest looks confused, but you do not pause to explain. You blow out the candles, grabbing the torch.

"Mira, what is it? What of the inscription?" He tries to ask. You grab his wrist and pull him out, slamming the door and flying down the stairs. "What on earth…" The priest tries to speak again, but his words are lost. You do not let him speak, and rush through the darkness unheeded, nearly throwing the priest back into his cell. You lock it swiftly and pause to gasp for breath. "Mira," scorns the priest, "Get a hold on yourself, child!" You stare at him through a blur of horrified and helpless tears. "What did you see?" He asks.

"There was," you start, "A coffin…guarding the remainder of the inscription." You gasp. The priest is frowning.

"Go, Mira. Send word for Van Helsing. You cannot do this alone. Run if you have to. Kill servants. Anything. It will save more lives in the end," says the priest gravely. You nod.

"Thank you, father," you bow, crossing yourself.

"Bless you, child," he says. You take up the key ring and place it furtively at the guard's waist, before turning and running back up the stairs. You run all the way to your staying room and gasp once inside the door. You look outside at the dark sky and the falling snow. You can barely see the Valley of the Courts of Andume now; the only sacred refuge left for you. There is no way you could ever leave now, and get there before nightfall. Besides, you have been completely disarmed and have almost no defenses. You wonder how you are supposed to send for Van Helsing.

Time is running out.

You write a note finally, stating that Van Helsing needs to find a way for a werewolf to kill the Count just before dawn, and then stab the lifeless soul in the presence of the rising sun, so he will turn to ashes. But you do not know how you will send this. Suddenly, an idea occurs to you, but you must be quick if you are to act on it.

You must somehow locate a few of your soldiers. You know they will not be roaming about freely; they will be in hiding somewhere. There is a high possibility that their quarters may be in the back alley. It will be a dangerous mission to send them on, but it is the only option left. Leaving the castle will be easy; Dracula's servants are very sparse it seems. You slip the note into your blouse and slink out the door once more.

You meet no resistance, but you leave through one of the least-used doors anyway. As you are about to round the corner, you hear foreign voices and press yourself flat against the wall. They walk by and you are able to pick up pieces of their conversation. There is some vague reference to the winter ball and another mention of merchants that will be entering within the hour, bearing 'gifts.' This news is somewhat good; it means the gate will be open for the soldiers to get out.

You round the corner and walk cautiously down side streets until you reach the back alley. You try to remember who lives where, and who would be most likely to host soldiers in hiding. You recall a nice, retired servant, who used to work for the Valerious family. This particular woman, Spendra Folsburg, had once taken a liking to helping out with the military. You knock on her door, and hear a scramble inside. You knock again, as if you are impatient. "Just a minute!" A voice says. The door finally opens and the servant stands there, looking quite frazzled. Her hasty look fades into one of relief and joy. "My lady!" She exclaims, falling to her knees. "We thought you were lost!"

"I do not own the city yet," you say quickly, with a frown, "That must be done. Are you housing any soldiers at the moment?"

"Some of your best, madam," she states. Then she turns. "Conrad, Edward, Shay, Sebastien, Vincent!" She calls. They come out of barrels and curtains, swords at their waists. Each walks in his own valor, but with a certain unity that can only be achieved by the greatest warriors through mutual accomplishment. They each drop to their left knee.

"Lady DeLune!" They address respectfully, rising again.

"I have a task for you," you state, "It is a dangerous mission, but with you on the fastest Transylvanian horses, I know you can be trusted." You take out the letter. "I must get this letter to the Courts of Andume; to Gabriel Van Helsing."

"How shall we leave?" Asks Conrad, "The gates are shut always."

"They shall open within the hour," you state, "A caravan of merchants is bringing supplies for the ball this evening. You must be quick to leave, and even quicker to vanish…because if you are seen, you will be pursued and killed." The soldiers do not seem the least bit daunted by this last part. "Will you take the mission?"

"Anything for our lady!" States Edward. The others nod. You nod at them and give the letter to Conrad.

"Faithful soldiers such as yourselves will reap great rewards on the day of victory," you promise, "Leave right away. The gates will be open once you are ready. And take care in entering the valley. Foul things happen in the deeps of the night. I may yet sacrifice myself. In such an instance, I beg you to take charge of the city." You bow. "Good luck, and bless you all." They salute you and you leave, somehow slipping back into the castle unnoticed. You stand at the window, watching the gate. When it opens, a troop of merchants enters with large wagons and big Clydesdales. When a gap appears, your five faithful soldiers, cloaked in black, slip out expertly and disappear almost instantly in the thick falling snow.

You sigh, relieved, and lay down to rest. You will need your strength to resist the Count this evening.


	17. Terrors of the Past

Chapter Seventeen: Terrors of the Past 

You wake to a knock on the door and get up to answer it. It is dusk, but it seems much later because it is so dark. You open the door to see a servant with her eyes downcast submissively.

"Vladislaus sent me to ready you," she says quietly. You let her in and shut the door. She goes over to the dress, but you beat her to it, seizing it from her grasp. You glare at her almost menacingly, and she looks slightly surprised.

"I can put it on myself. You can lace me," you counter, a little defensively. You slip the dress on in the closet. You are dismayed to discover that you cannot wear your leather corset with this gown, as it has its own corset built in. Plus, the leather corset would make the bodice of the dress bulge. You take the vial of poison out of your corset and search the dress for somewhere to place it. Luckily, it seems to fit all right within the bodice, even though it is not yet laced.

You come out to an expressionless servant. She gets straight to the lacing. You note that she is not tying it tight enough. "You have got to make that tighter," you say. Just then, the door opens. You look over your shoulder and see the Count. He approaches you and the girl moves out of the way. He runs an inspecting hand along the lacing and then glares at the servant.

"Despicable girl!" He hisses, "Out, now!" The servant girl scampers off, without so much as a whimper. "You would think that servants would know how to properly lace a dress," he says, undoing the majority of the lacing. His cold finger brushes your bare back and you jump, surprised. He chuckles, amused by this, and gives a good yank at the bottom row. "I notice," he says, threading the next row, "That you did not stay put this afternoon." He pulls it unbearably tight in a kind of angry gesture. You falter, caught off-guard. "Perhaps, you thought you would find answers," he threads the next row, "In my hidden crypt." He pulls it again, in a manner that would cause suffocation.

"I did not realize," you begin to answer, "That I was breaking and entering." He threads the next row. "I assure you it—" He pulls hard; so hard that you fall back into him with a gasp. "—won't happen again!"

"Hold still," he hisses, shoving you onto the edge of the bed. The pain of the lacing begins to burn across your midriff. "My patience with your actions is dwindling, my love." He threads the next row, flicking his wrists expertly. "Do you truly want to push it?" He pulls the lacing hard and you gasp.

"Oh God…" You mutter in pain. The burning sensation continues up through your ribcage and it feels like your bones are going to break. He threads the next row.

"So where else did you venture, my love?" He asks coldly, wrenching the next row as if he were trying to uproot a tree.

"Nowhere!" You gasp, as he threads the next row. At this point, you are about to collapse.

"Nowhere?" He repeats, pulling hard on the cords, pressing his knee into your lower back in an attempt to make it tighter. Your lung capacity diminishes quite considerably and you gasp for air.

"I went for a walk!" You reply weakly, falling forward on the bed. He pulls you erect by the bodice strings and threads the next row.

"Do I seem stupid to you?" He asks, pulling relentlessly on the cords. Tears fill your eyes and you close them, feeling the pain surging through your entire upper body.

"Please stop…" You say softly.

"Not until you tell me what you did!" He says, enraged. He is holding you steady on the lacing, like you are some wild animal about to run away. You cough, unable to speak or think properly.

"I was only trying to find a way to destroy you…" You choke, trying to hold your composure, "But I was unsuccessful…please forgive me…" He pauses until finally, after he thinks about it, the answer seems satisfying to him.

"All right," he says. Then he quickly finishes off the lacing in a whir and pulls it agonizingly tight. You screech, falling back into him, nearly in a faint. He grins evilly at you. "You could soon know no pain, my love," he swoons, entrapping you in his arms. You stare into his eyes mistily. You cough again and his grin fades, as he realizes that you are still in no condition to be taken.

Supporting you by the waist, he brings you over to the dresser, where an elaborate jewelry set is placed. He slips some pale gold evening gloves onto your arms. You lean on him the entire time, trying to stay conscious. Finally, he seems satisfied with the look and helps you into some red shoes with gold embroidery. You murmur softly, on the brink of consciousness and unconsciousness. It feels like you have suffered a horrible beating, and your entire torso is aching.

"You will be in better humour once we have walked a bit," he assures, gripping you firmly by the waist. You walk along down the dark passages, as if in a trance. You can vaguely hear music coming from the ballroom. It is light in nature, and traditional. Dracula smiles to himself and walks faster, pulling you along with him. You guess it is sort of good that you are so weak. At least you really have nothing to fear, because he will not take you in this state.

As you approach the door that leads into the corridor beside the ballroom, he stops rather suddenly, gripping you so close that your noses nearly touch. His expression is stern, but a cold desire burns in the depths of his eyes. "I will not have you go about doing anything nasty this evening, my love," he warns, leaning closer so that your eyes meet and there is no way to escape his hypnosis.

"No," you say weakly, closing your eyes and trying to wriggle out of his iron-locked grip. He laughs, gripping you tighter.

"I won't have you ruining my ball with your silly antics," he says, "Now, open your eyes." You refuse to do so. Suddenly, your eyes fly open anyway, as if he is controlling them. A smile alights on his lips that is so hate-worthy, it makes you shudder. "Forget your fears. Forget your longing to escape me. Forget Van Helsing…" His eyes burn into you as he whispers fiercely. But you are resisting the fall. His eyes burn in continuous ferocity, and he wrenches you from your feet, arching your back over his arm. You are bent over backwards, blinking back tears of pain. "The suffering would stop…if you do as I say," he says ardently. You force your breaths out evenly. "Perhaps, you will like to hear of a past life of yours…the…tragic destiny which you chose to bluntly ignore…" He pulls you up to his right shoulder, looking at you with a fiery passion, and places a cold hand on your jaw, stroking down your neck, "My Princess Adriana." You immediately spring away in a desperate display of locked-up power. You end up on the floor with a gasp. He looks surprised, and pleased, at the same time.

"Then, you are ready," he whispers, approaching deliberately. You leap to your feet, getting a pillar between him and you. You now realize he had played you intentionally by pushing all of your buttons, which finally drove you to out yourself. You are humiliated that you were not strong enough to continue to play it out. Perhaps there is some way you can still regain your weakness.

"I am not your Princess Adriana anymore, Vladislaus!" You say. He smirks, circling the pillar. You follow, keeping the distance between you equal. You can feel your heart beating out of control in fear and helplessness.

"Don't be afraid, Princess…once, you did not fear me," he is saying.

"You were not threatening my entrance into heaven in 1452, Vladislaus. You were a mortal then. It is now quite different," You say bravely. His eyes blaze.

"Nothing has changed. Twice I have destroyed you, Adriana. You fail always to destroy me," he reminds, his steps sounding in death, "And more times I have tried to seduce you…successful, none! But I swore I would…"

"Your swear is worthless!" You cry, shivering. His anger begins to burn off and he smiles falsely, as he appears to recompose himself. He walks away, towards the door, and then stands there, looking at you.

"I have no time to fight, my love," he says. His tone holds no sign of defeat; only a promise that the argument is not yet over. He turns fully, extending a hand towards the door. "The ball awaits." You do not move, for you do not trust him. His smile vanishes and his face looks concerned. "Do not make this difficult," he says, walking towards you. You gulp, not moving. He places an assuring hand on your waist and then abruptly catches your eyes with his. "Under my control, you will not have to think so much…" Your mind tries to fight him off, but caught so off-guard, you are ill prepared and he begins to take you over. "And you will not ruin my evening." His eyes glow with fire and he takes you under his dark hypnosis. "To the ball," he whispers forcefully, and you follow him Your mind has no control over your body now, for your body is under his command.


	18. Dracula's Puppet

Chapter Eighteen: Dracula's "Puppet" 

You walk into the ball poised with a grace that is not yours. On Dracula's arm, under his spell, you are his slave, and a puppet. When the people see you, you hope that they realize this isn't you, and only a hollow form under control of Dracula, that imitates you with near perfection.

"Would you like to dance, my dear?" He asks in a mocking tone. Your mind screams 'no!'

"Yes, my love," comes your voice, and to your dismay, you smile, falling into the waltz with him. The room is a-swirl with dancing colors and drifting music.

"See how alive your town can be, when I am in control!" He says to you, as you float gracefully across the tiled floor. "Music and dancing!" He drops you, a hand fixated on your lower back, the other running down your neck coldly. "Life," he whispers, almost excitedly, drawing you back up to him. You step back into the waltz, flying across the dance-floor. Inside, you are already exhausted by the force he exerts on your mind, but your body seems as if it will never tire. Your hate for him expands with every step, until you think you will burst. He smiles at you, undeniably satisfied with his actions. "How does it feel to be forced, my princess?" He asks darkly, restoring your ability to speak freely. You wonder why.

"I think you are a despicable creature, Dracula," you state, trying to sound strong, "You can bring no joy to this city, or any other place where happiness should dwell unthreatened." He drops you again, suspending you just high enough to keep your head off the ground. "You have no heart."

"Correct," he answers, almost philosophically, pulling you up with formidable strength, "But I could feel again," he whispers close in your ear, "If you would so kindly replace my brides with yourself." He caresses your neck continuously, exerting an incredible amount of seduction (that seems to be working) on you. You close your eyes, slipping deep into the sensations, and gripping his shoulders as you draw nearer to him.

"I could never," you finally answer, your eyes opening to blaze at him. You stare as his eyes rise to meet yours, glaring.

"I can make you silent in an instant. Do not push your freedom," he snaps, pulling you back onto the floor for the last few beats of the dance.

"Do you really think you can win?" You ask, as a tango commences.

"My dear," he replies, a brow raised, "I know I will." With that, he pulls you out to the middle of the floor and controls the rigid movements of the tango.

"This is not some kind of game," you counter, "It is my life."

"Your life is in my hands," says Dracula coldly, as you move gracefully across the floor, "Every time I have had your life in my hands, I have crushed it without question." He pulls you through an intricate series of spins. People are watching and speaking amongst themselves. "You remember well, my princess, 1452 and 1673…"

"I choose to forget when possible," you answer. He laughs, spinning you into his arms.

"October 9, 1452…the death of Adriana Valerious," he says coldly, as you dance across the floor in perfect rhythm, "To be wed to Count Vladislaus Dracula."

"I was never in love with you," you say in a low voice. He wrenches your waist and you cry out in pain. "Still angry, Vladislaus?" You ask, your body aching in incredibly agonizing pain. His eyes burn through you. "You are still angry that I loved your rival—" He releases you abruptly, almost threatening to smash your head through the floor. He hovers over you, dipping you dramatically.

"…Cause of death unknown," he whispers threateningly, before dragging you back into the dance.

"He came after you, didn't he?" You ask, eyes narrowed, "And he caught and killed you in 1462."

"Yes," hisses Dracula. There is silence in speaking until a ballad starts. Then he smirks as the dance floor fills again. "August 8, 1673…Princess Talia Dulaq murdered sometime after midnight. Identity of killer unknown. Has suffered incredible blood-loss that surgeons cannot explain," he states.

"You have a very good memory for being so old," you say harshly.

"I remember everything down to the last drop of blood I tasted," he hisses.

"Pursued by your rival once more," you state. Dracula smiles triumphantly.

"Yes, but that time it was I who was the victor," he says. He draws you smoothly into a side room, curtained with dark sheers. The wind blows softly through an open balcony as you enter the soft candlelight. You are still dancing, but it is like you are floating. You are caught in his dark eyes and trapped by the smile etched upon his lips.

"He will conquer you yet," you say weakly. He ignores the comment.

"Every last drop of blood," he whispers, arching your back softly over his arm. "One brief moment of pain…"

"You said that to Anna," you whisper back, closing your eyes in helplessness.

"…and we can be together forever," he continues. Chills rake your back, trickling along your nerves. In his obsession and concentration, he loses control of your body. You pretend he still has control, however. He pulls you back up, tilting your neck from behind. His fangs retract, moving slowly towards your neck. As he does so, you reach into your bodice and pull out the vial inconspicuously, uncapping it. Just before either of you can complete your action, a voice cuts in rather hurriedly.

"Vladislaus! Count Vladislaus!" Says a voice. Dracula's fangs vanish and he whirls about, releasing you. You quickly replace the vial.

"What is it?" Dracula hisses.

"Gabriel Van Helsing has been seen within the city," says the voice. A little noise of relieved surprise escapes you and Dracula glares at you. He turns back to his messenger.

"Bring him to me," Dracula says angrily.

"Sire, we do not know his whereabouts. He was not alone, either," replies the messenger. Dracula hesitates.

"Meet me outside with our forces," he says. The messenger bows and exits. Dracula turns and glares at you, approaching. You back away instinctively, falling against a pillar in fear. "Did you fail to mention something, my love?" His eyes are blazing. You gulp. "I tell you truly…I will not be second-guessing anymore. Next chance I get, I will take you and I will kill Van Helsing. Without him to stop me, we will rule the world together, princess…" You are too mortified to reply. He grins and sweeps you up in his arms. He runs towards the balcony and transforms into his flight form, bringing you to the tower, and dropping you on the bed. You are too shocked to respond right away, even after he leaves, slamming the windows shut. Then it finally occurs that you have a window of time in which to escape. You leap to your feet and run to the closet, grabbing your belongings and bringing them back into the room.

You pull out the vial and put it aside, trying to undo Dracula's lacing job. After several minutes of struggling with it, you realize it is impossible. Tears rake your tired eyes as you stuff the vial back into place and collapse in defeat on the bed. You suppose you will just have to attempt escape in this huge ball gown. You change into your leather boots at least, and then exit the room with caution.

The torchlight does not illuminate the dark corners of the stairwell, but you find your way down in the near-darkness. You find yourself on the fourth level of the castle, and slip along the corridor, headed towards the stairs that lead to the backdoor. You hear a commotion in the street and run to the third level, throwing open the windows to see. In a flourish of torchlight, you see Dracula and his forces, putting Van Helsing in irons!

"Van Helsing!" You cry, out the window in disbelief and dismay. Dracula turns and smirks up at you.

"Behold your savior, Mira!" He says, laughing coldly. "And behold the cause of your stupidity, Gabriel!" Van Helsing lifts his eyes, looking at you wearily. You begin to weep in defeat and shake your head, denying the sight before you. Dracula laughs still. "To the dungeon. I will deal with him after I have gained my prize." You pick up your dress and flee upstairs frantically.

Through blurry tears, before you reach your room, you see some source of console. A sheathed sword lays on a table in the shadows. "Thank you, God," you mutter, grabbing it and running into your room, locking the door. You thrust the sword under the bed and secure any place where Dracula might enter. You pull the thick velvet drapes shut, sit in your bed, and pull the canopy drapes shut. You sit in darkness, shuddering. There is no noise except for your breathing.

Then, slowly, you hear it. It is the sound of soft footsteps coming up the stairs. He tries the handle, but it does not open. "Oh Mira," he says gently, "Will you be so kind as to let your conqueror in?" You can hear a smile on his voice. You do not answer. He sighs. "You make things so difficult." The door clicks almost immediately and opens, closing after he is within. He locks it again, and approaches the bed. "I think your hero will enjoy a visit from you tomorrow night…after you have become my bride," he says, circling the bed. Your heart is pounding out of control. "Don't be afraid, my love," he says. You follow his voice and anticipate his movements. "I think you will find the transformation quite enjoyable," he whispers, flinging aside the canopy curtain. But you have slipped out the other side and into the closet. You keep your hand on the handle, feeling him try to turn it on the other side.

"The more difficulty, the more pain," his voice warns. Your eyes tear up, and adjust to the darkness. On the other side of the closet is a door. Your mind races. "I would not try that door if I were you," he says, reading your thoughts, "It leads nowhere." He exerts amazing power and flings open the door. You hide in the racks of garments, listening to his footsteps that move lightly across the floor. He wanders the closet quietly, sniffing the air and listening. You are utterly silent. His steps finally cease and you rise slowly, searching the room. It is dark, but he does not appear to be present any longer.

You back away towards what you thought was a wall, but suddenly his arms grab you. You screech as you jerks your head back, holding you in place. "Eternity awaits you," he growls. You struggle desperately, but his grip is like stone. His fangs dip down, brushing your neck, drawing blood to the surface of your skin.

"Oh…" you moan, partially in pleasure, partially in fainting, and partially in pure hatred. He pulls you away and takes you into the bedroom, your body limp in his arms.

"I can feel…your pulse…" he whispers, slipping his firm hands through the lacing, loosening it effortlessly. He kisses you passionately, gripping you close and running his hands along your neck. "Not so bad, is it, my princess?" He asks seductively, laying you on the bed underneath him. You murmur something inaudible and he moves in on you. "What was that, my love?" He asks, a smirk on his face. You have been slipping in and out of his hypnosis, and now you come flat out and glare at him.

"I said, get your hands off me, you twisted bastard!" You yell, forcing him off, rolling to the floor, grabbing the sword, and landing on your feet. He moves to get up with a snarl, but you slam him squarely in the jaw with a powerful kick, and fly to the door. You unlock it and slam it behind you, flying down the stairwell.

Frightening noises are arising from behind you as you whisk yourself down the stairs in desperation and make a bee-line for the crowded ball room. You hear the sweeping sound of wings behind you and pick up your pace, flinging yourself through the ball room corridor and sliding across the floor on your stomach, getting lost somewhere in the crowd with seeming ease. You know the vast amounts of color will likely confuse his eyes while in bat-form, so you take advantage and slip along the sides of the ball room, headed to the coatroom. You see some people you know and hold a finger to your lips.

"How long until dawn?" You ask, crouched low as Dracula swoops into the ballroom and lands gracefully on the upper level, searching the crowd. Most of the dancers retract in fear, as a slight chaos breaks out on the floor.

"Minutes only, miss!" The lady replies.

"Good. We will soon be delivered, I promise," you say, slipping off to the coatroom, un-noticed by Dracula. You hide yourself expertly in the coats, so you can be seen by no one. Then, the morning bells chime. You sigh as Dracula lets out an awful cry from the ballroom, and then he takes flight once more and vanishes from the room. You sigh, sinking tiredly down to the floor. You are completely exhausted, but now it is day. You are going to need the entirety of this day in order to discover how to defeat Dracula, because you know death awaits you tonight. And it will be the first full moon of the month tonight.


	19. The Fearless Friar

**Chapter Nineteen: The "Fearless" Friar**

You wait a few minutes in the coatroom before coming out. The crowd is slowly beginning to disperse, so you walk across the floor towards the corridor that leads to the stairs. You have to get out of this blasted dress!

"Mira!" Calls a very familiar voice. You whirl around to see Carl, clad in a full velvet jester costume, running towards you (jingling with every step).

"Carl!" You say, running toward him. You meet in the middle. "Oh, thank God you're here!"

"We got your note," says Carl in a low voice, shifting his eyes around the room, "Your soldiers barely made it to us before nightfall. After Van Helsing read your note, he went trekking back across the valley and up the path, claiming he would return within the hour. When he got back, he insisted upon departing at once, not even bothering to explain a rather gaping wound on his shoulder—"

"—You there!" Calls a harsh voice. You both look up to see a rugged-looking guard approaching. Carl exchanges a glance with you and you keep a hand on your sword hilt, certain that the guard does not realize you are armed. "I have orders that you are to be locked up till dusk," states the guard. You look at him with fiery eyes and then draw the sword, placing its tip firmly at his chin.

"Locked up?" You repeat, your eyes burning into him. He gulps. "Nay sir, I think not," you say. He remains silent with his hands up. "You can return to your post and let me be! And tell your master that I refused his order, and threatened your life!" He backs away and scurries off, completely caught off his guard. "Now, come Carl," you say, leading him toward the stairwell, "I have to get out of this damned gown." (Carl looks immeasurably impressed with you).

Once you reach the room, you grab your things, going behind the changing screen. "It's amazing that you've held up so long," he says. Since Dracula loosened the lacing already, you run into no more trouble.

"Well, thank God you came so soon! Without that distraction, I would have had to go through with killing myself," you respond, throwing the ball gown across the floor. You shudder at the thought of having to wear it, and put on your chemise and riding pants. "So what is the current plan of action?" You ask, pulling on the leather corset and flipping through the laces.

"Very vague. Apparently, Van Helsing needs for us to release him from his prison cell just before dawn—" he begins to reply.

"—What!?" You nearly gasp and fall over, poking your head out from behind the screen, "Oh no…he didn't…"

"Didn't what?" Asks Carl. He clearly has no idea what was in your note.

"Oh, God, Carl…the only thing that can kill Dracula is a werewolf…" You mutter, tightening your corset buckles. You put your boots back on, tightening them over your riding pants. "I should have known…"

"Known what?!" Asks Carl, somewhat exasperated. You ignore this.

"I must speak to Van Helsing," you say, securing your sword.

"After you!" States Carl. He has taken off his jester hat and now stands with his arms crossed, looking at you.

"You are coming with me!" You state, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him to the door. You grab the handle and the door doesn't open. You rattle and pull, but it still does not move. You curse and then look at Carl frantically. "We're locked in!" You kick the door in a merciless rage, but only cause a slight dent.

"I don't think it's opening," says Carl.

"Well, I'm glad you noticed, Carl," you say sweetly, looking at him threateningly, your tone slipping to a growl, "Because your head is going through it!" He squeaks, much like a bird, and leaps away, hands risen in defense. You calm yourself down and think. Then, you remember the door in the closet. You grab Carl's wrist. "Come on!"

"Where are we going?" He asks in a panicked tone, as you enter the closet.

"Well, we will soon see," you say, unbolting the heavy, dust-laden door. It swings open with a long creaking sound and then all is silent. Before you is a portal of looming darkness. With a grumble, you run into the room to grab a torch, and return to shine it through the darkness. There is a long, narrow slide-like passage that appears to wind about the tower just above the stairwell (or so you would imagine). It looks to be made of a tarnished metal. Carl clears his throat inconspicuously. "All right," you breath. You hand Carl the torch. "Let's see where this goes," you say, gripping Carl's arm.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Asks Carl nervously. You step forward, your heel making a hollow clunk on contact.

"I think it's safe," you say, moving in. Carl follows with caution.

"This is rather odd," he comments.

"I never knew this existed," you reply. Your voices echo, causing vibrations on the slope.

"Where do you think it leads?" Asks Carl.

"As long as it's out, I don't care," you reply, gripping the surrounding stone walls. "I don't understand how it could lead anywhere…but then again, this castle is full of all sorts of odd passageways," you say, looking around the dim flicker of the torchlight. Carl is silent. "I know where Dracula's little hide-away is, by the way. It's up in the library," you finally say to Carl.

"In the library? But…where?" He asks, surprised.

"There is a hidden vault beneath that moving painting. The remainder of the Latin inscription is on a gold plate in the back of the vault…but it is guarded by Dracula's coffin, or coffin portal…whatever it may truly be," you say.

"Did you hear that?" Asks Carl. You stop.

"Hear what?" You reply, listening.

"I thought I heard—" Carl begins but then you both freeze, hearing it. It is most definitely NOT human. There is a deep-throated growl from up the passage and then the clanking of four limbs, moving cautiously along after you. You look at Carl in a moment of brief panic and then suddenly, the two of you just drop down onto your rears and slide down, screaming. The growling behind you grows louder (not with distance, but with ferocity) and you hear claws beginning to slide along the metal. Frantically, you push yourselves faster along the slide, feeling as if it will never end.

Then suddenly, you are flying through the air and you land in a pile of snow in the courtyard. Not wasting a minute, or pausing to think of where you now are, you grab Carl and drag him through the snow to the door leading to the front foyer, and throw him inside, slamming the door behind you. You both pause for a relieved breath inside the foyer.

"What was that?" You ask.

"I don't know!" Carl fumes, "But you said it was safe!"

"Nothing is completely safe anymore…" You answer, hanging your head and sighing deeply. Then something thuds against the door from the courtyard side. You shriek, bolting the door and grabbing Carl again. "I don't know where we're going but we can't stay here!" You yell, dragging him down the hall.

"Our Father, who art in heaven…hallowed be Thy name…Thy Kingdom come…" Carl mutters, his eyes squeezed shut.

"Carl, stop praying and start running so I don't have to drag you the whole way!" You fume angrily, jerking at his arm.

"Oh, right," he says, scrambling to his feet and finally running beside you. When you round the corner, you hear the door smash open and the creature comes bounding after you. You fling Carl around the corner and find yourselves plummeting down the stairwell into the dungeon. There are two guards at the bottom, lounging, but they leap to their feet when you approach.

"Get back up there!" One of them says, but he gets shoved away when you fly past him.

"Run…for…your…lives…if you…value them!" You scream at the top of your lungs, running down the intricate series of tunnels like a labyrinth. There is a growl and then the growl quiets. The guards laugh to themselves after you and Carl find refuge in a dark corner.

"She's scared of a puppy dog!" One of the guards taunts. Carl is shuddering violently beside you. You rise angrily and stalk back down the corridor.

"Mira, where are you going?" Squeaks Carl. He leaps to his feet and follows you. You round the corner (ignoring Carl) and draw your sword, pointing it at the guards. There is a rather large wolf seated at their feet. It growls at, staring at you through yellow eyes.

"Where is Van Helsing?" You demand. The guards are eating at the moment, tossing scraps to the wolf.

"Not here," one of the guards replies lazily, "Dracula moved all important things to a better location."

"What location?" You ask, your sword still forth. The wolf growls menacingly at you.

"His castle of course," says the other guard, yawning. The guards grin at each other. "Good luck getting there," says the guard mockingly.

"You will tell me how or I swear—" you begin, reaching your sword forth. Carl grabs your arm and you realize that suddenly, he seems very composed and cheery.

"Now now, Mira. No need to get so testy with the guards. We will just return to our quarters and wait for Dracula to come back tonight," says Carl. You blink at him in disbelief and he smiles reassuringly, leading you away, and up the stairs. The guards seem to sense the fishiness involved as well.

"And no wandering!" They state. The wolf stays with them for the time being, but you still don't trust it. You keep your sword close-by.

"What was that about, Carl?" You ask, glaring at him. He just smiles secretively at you. "What are you not telling me?" You ask, narrowing your eyes. Carl just smiles bigger, leading you into the front foyer again. He moves the chairs away from a massive painting on the wall. You see more Latin inscriptions. "What is this?" You ask finally, staring uncomprehendingly.

"This, Mira…is a door," says Carl triumphantly, inspecting it, "And still very much intact from the last time I was here." He runs a finger along the words and reads them aloud. "In the name of God, open this door," he states. The painting fades into an ancient-looking mirror. You stare at it.

"What is this?" You ask, reaching a finger forward and touching it. Your finger goes through and you pull it back quickly, surprised. Carl smiles at you.

"It's the door that leads to Dracula's castle," he says.

"It's cold on the other side…" You whisper, reaching your hand through again. You pull your hand back again and pull a torch off the wall. You pause. "What happened to Vladimir?" You ask.

"He's around," says Carl, "Probably with the soldiers on the other side of town. He knows where to go if he can't find us here."

"You're certain?" You ask, "I think we should take him with us."

"Nonsense! Time is running out. We can always come back if we need to. First we must speak to Van Helsing!" Argues Carl, "We have to find out exactly what our plan is. We cannot blindly wander the streets. There may be enemies watching!"

"Isn't it more likely that enemies will be watching at Fortress Dracula, since he apparently moved everything there?" You ask, leaning on the wall, raising a brow at him. Carl has no response.

"What are we waiting for?" Asks a new voice, walking into the room. Vladimir stands in the doorway, looking at you. You grin. He smiles at you. Carl is again speechless.

"We were waiting for Carl to explain why we should not go and get you," you answer. Carl looks rather frightened as Vladimir glares at him (jokingly however). You laugh and step through the wall, feeling the cold rush past you. Things look a bit brighter, and yet, so much darker.


	20. Final Plans

Chapter Twenty: Final Plans 

Dracula's fortress is far more massive than what you had imagined. It is black, appearing to be a part of a vast mountain peak. Between the towers are spindly bridges and thousands of flaming torches. Gigantic icicles taper down off the walls. It is barren and evil-looking. The three of you walk out of a carved wall portal and stand in awe of this great castle.

"How do we ever find a way in there?" You ask. None of you move. You are too stunned and intimidated to do so.

"Well, it would appear to me that the dungeons are in the lower portion," says Carl, fidgeting slightly.

"No," counters Vladimir. He is gazing intently at the far tower, which also happens to be the tallest. "It's in the tower," he states.

"That's ridiculous, Vladimir!" Says Carl, clearly insulted. Vladimir silences him.

"Think about it. Being in the lowest level of the castle would allow for an easier escape, and more than one path. But a tower has one staircase, and it is isolated. Thus, it needs less guarding. Dracula wants us to check the lower level…there are probably traps down there," explains Vladimir.

"I'm convinced," you say, stepping forward. Carl sighs.

"Well, I suppose there is a point involved…" he mutters.

"Let's go," says Vladimir. You all move forward along a snow-covered roadway. It drops off on either side deep into an endless canyon of ice and rock. You shudder looking over, and then continue along the path that is no more than ten feet wide. The path bulges when it reaches the castle, but only enough to provide space to use the immense gate.

"Now what?" You ask, looking at them. You have stopped, staring dumbfounded at the gate. Vladimir shrugs. You look at Carl. "Well, what did you do last time?" You ask him. A flustered expression crosses his face and then one of remembrance takes over.

"Last time," he says, "Van Helsing climbed the gate, and lifted Anna and I over to the other side!" He nearly beams at this, not realizing that this is not very helpful. There is silence.

"I'm not doing it," says Vladimir finally. You glare at Carl. He retracts, expressing the same thought as Vladimir with his actions. You roll your eyes and hand your torch to Vladimir.

"Bunch of wimps," you mutter, boosting yourself onto the gate and clinging as you thrust yourself upwards. There are really plenty of footholds for you to grasp, but it is quite a distance to the top. The feat is almost too much for your upper body strength. When you grip the top of the door, it takes almost all remaining energy to pull yourself over. Then you half-fall/half-climb down the other side, collapsing in a heap with a gasp. You take a few moments to breath before getting up shakily, throwing the huge bolts on the door, and forcing it open. Vladimir and Carl push and enter, with you finally collapsing. It makes a long grinding sound as it opens, and they close it right after they have entered.

"Mira!" Says Carl in concern, rushing to your side. "Are you all right?"

"No, you senseless bloke!" You snap, regaining your spark, "Would it kill you to climb a bloody gate!?" Carl doesn't answer. You finally get up, looking down a vast, enclosed courtyard with basins of fire down the middle. "Let's go," you say, walking along. The sky outside is light gray, but the sun is not out quite yet.

"We have twenty hours until dawn," states Vladimir, "God help us till then." He crosses himself and follows. Carl pauses and then bustles after you.

"This is the last place I want to be," mutters Carl.

"Well, after this is over, we'll send you off to Sicily for a month," you say sarcastically, "But first we have to save the world." Vladimir chuckles slightly. You climb a small stairwell and find yourself in a circular room with five doorways. "Uh…" You say aloud. Vladimir looks as if he may be undergoing some serious mathematical calculations.

"Second on your right," says Vladimir. You look at him in surprise.

"How do you know?" You ask suspiciously. He shrugs.

"I don't," he answers. You laugh slightly.

"Excellent," you mutter, walking through the opening and starting up the stairs. It is nearly five minutes of silent walking to the top room. This is where you encounter your first guard. He is a rather burly, nasty-looking fellow in dirtied attire and a large, tangled mass of hair. He looks at you in surprise, and then stands to reveal that he is over seven feet tall. You gulp, a hand loosely on your sword. Carl takes the initiative.

"Why hullo!" Carl says brightly, stepping forward with a smile. You would have laughed, but the guard thrusts a mace into the floor at your feet, smashing the stones effortlessly. Carl scuttles behind you. The guard grins evilly through yellowish teeth (and a few slots; he is missing some). You think a moment of how to best deal with the situation. Perhaps this guard is only menacing in appearance.

"What do you guard?" You ask. The guard blinks at you, as if he was expecting for you to run away on sight.

"I guard prisoners," he states gruffly, with a hint of pride. You can tell he is not the brightest character in the world. You smile good-naturedly.

"Well, we aren't here to steal or anything," you explain. He is staring at you through dull, unresponsive eyes. "We just want to talk…"

"Master says all intruders must die," he says, narrowing his eyes. You smile again. "Except for woman intruder," he adds, "Who look like you."

"I am no 'woman' intruder," you say haughtily, "I am just an intruder." Then, you draw your sword and remove his head in a clean sweep. Carl and Vladimir stare in shock. You re-sheath your sword, blowing a lock of hair out of your face and turning to face them.

"Why'd you kill him?" Squeaks Carl.

"I killed him because he would have killed us!" You say. Vladimir is silent. "Many sacrifices must be made in war," you state, walking into the hall of jail cells. It is a very dark corridor. Once you focus your eyes, you see a figure slumped in a cell at the back. You run down there, falling to your knees at the iron bars. "Van Helsing?" You whisper. The figure doesn't move. "Gabriel?" You whisper louder. Finally, he shifts and looks at you.

"Mira?" He says, drowsily at first. Then he comes to. "Mira!" He exclaims, nearly falling over as he grips the bars. He looks at you in mixed excitement and paranoia. "What are you doing here?" He asks.

"I couldn't let Dracula cage and kill you," you reply, smiling wryly. He smiles back in admiration.

"And you remain untouched by his curse…" He runs an affectionate finger over your cheek. "Look Mira… there are many things that must be done. I cannot keep track of them on my own, for I fear after midnight I will change…" He moves his coat slightly to reveal a lightly bandaged wound.

"Oh Gabriel…you didn't…" You whisper, reaching out to touch the bandage. He re-covers it.

"You must listen, and listen closely. Dracula knows you're here. He counts on it. He knows nothing of the transformation that will take me. But there is more trouble stirring, Mira. Tonight is the first night since his renovation of Frankenstein's laboratory. Be cautious. He has read Victor's notes and he knows how to create life!" At this, Van Helsing's eyes are rather wide and frantic. You nod at him, reaching through to grasp his hand in assurance.

"Can I get you out of here, Gabriel?" You ask, "Is there a key?"

"No!" He says quickly, backing away from you, "Don't let me out! Not yet at least…look, the key is hidden in a compartment in the doorway. You should find it easily. Keep it close-by and do not release me until dawn. I think these bars will hold me at least until then…" His voice is dropping to a whisper. You lean in through the bars, holding to his every word. "When you release me, stay away Mira…lock yourself away if you have to. Until you see me walking as I am after Dracula is slain, do nothing—"

"Van Helsing! You have forgotten!" Interjects Carl, rushing over, "You have forgotten about the antidote!" Realization passes through Van Helsing's eyes and he pulls away from the bars with a vicious growl, gripping his forehead. He curses, finally coming out of it. He returns to the bars.

"The antidote…" He mutters.

"You remember what happened last time," says Carl with a gulp. Tears fill Van Helsing's eyes and he pulls away from the bars, pacing. He returns after three rounds of pacing.

"Mira, whatever you do…do NOT let yourself give me the antidote," says Van Helsing.

"Who will do it if not me?" You ask. There is silence in the room, and finally, Vladimir steps forward.

"My time is soon coming," he says, "If I die, then it will not affect those around me as much as it would for Mira to die." Everyone is still silent. "So, I will give Van Helsing the antidote." You are truly touched by this motion and look at Vladimir speechlessly. Then you look back at Van Helsing, who is staring at you. He looks at Carl and Vladimir.

"Can I have a moment alone with Mira?" He asks. They nod and leave the room. You turn to Van Helsing.

"Gabriel…" You whisper. He grabs you close and kisses you deeply through the bars, letting it linger for quite some time.

"Mira, if anything happens…" He whispers. He removes a ring from his finger and encloses it in your hand, "Continue my legacy…find out who I was…Carl has the things I have written so far…" You start crying, even though you try to somehow stop the tears from coming.

"You're not going to die, Gabriel…" You say, "Why do you say such things?"

"Just in case, Mira…just in case…" He says, stroking your cheek and wiping away the tears. He looks at you, pain raging in his eyes. But he is being strong; he does not falter. You look at the ring and a look of confusion comes over.

"Gabriel… this is Dracula's seal…" You say, looking at the insignia in mild horror. Gabriel looks at you with a bittersweet expression.

"It was left with me when I was orphaned," he says, "And it is Dracula's ring."

"Gabriel, why do you wish for me to carry it?" You ask.

"Because if Dracula kills me, I don't want him to have the satisfaction of retrieval. It holds some significant value to him. Keep it well, Mira, and go stop the processes in the laboratory. At least in daylight, you may have a chance of slowing the progress," he says. You nod, putting the ring on. It seems to fit rather perfectly, which is somewhat un-nerving. You take on a dutiful expression and bow gently to him. He kisses your hand through the bars. "Get the key and just before dawn…" He does not continue his sentence. He just looks at you.

"I know," you say, getting up, "Just before dawn."


	21. Retrieving the Antidote

Chapter Twenty One: Retrieving the Antidote 

You are soon clopping back down the tower stairs. Carl only remembers how to get to the Antidote Tower from the front entrance. You are silent. Vladimir looks very grave. You finally turn to him.

"Vladimir, I can give Van Helsing the antidote," you say. Vladimir blinks at you.

"Mira, he said no," says Vladimir sternly.

"I know, Vladimir…but it is my responsibility. And I have fought a werewolf before," you reply. You have entered the hall with the fire basins now. Carl leads you along and off through a side door.

"Mira, I made a promise to Van Helsing when I awoke in the Courts of Andume," says Vladimir, "I promised him that no matter what, you would not die."

"Vladimir…"

"Mira, the answer is no. You stay away from Gabriel after he is unleashed," says Vladimir. You are silent.

"Stay away from him, Mira," Carl says, "Trust me. I was there the last time." You begin to ascend more stairs. But you are troubled. You do not feel it is right that Vladimir should risk his life for the man that you happen to possibly love. Was it love, you begin to wonder.

It does not take as long to get up to the top of the tower and you enter a short corridor. No guards are in sight. Carl suddenly stops and turns to look at you and Vladimir. You exchange glances as the friar seems to contemplate.

"Someone should stay here and keep an eye out for trouble," says Carl. He looks at you. Vladimir averts his gaze and starts whistling. You roll your eyes.

"All right. I'll stay," you respond, posing at the wall. Vladimir and Carl continue down the corridor and disappear into the room. Why must you do everything? You sigh, looking after them and then at the ring on your finger. A storm is rising outside. It must be nearing afternoon. Lightning flashes through the narrow windows, followed by a low growl of thunder. You hear a low creaking sound on the floor that sounds as if it should be accompanied by footsteps. You whirl around and face dead air. You whirl back around and face more dead air. Is your imagination playing tricks on you? You back up against the wall so that you can have stone at your back and face the rest of the room. "Vladimir?" You say, hoping he can hear you from the other room. No answer. There is more lightning and thunder. Your heartbeat is racing and your breathing is becoming deeper. You draw your sword in the silence, for comfort. "All right, Vladislaus…come out," you say in a low voice. A deep laugh rolls along the walls and then diminishes.

"I am here, Mira," says the voice with a hiss. It resounds from all directions. You almost shudder, but try to keep yourself composed.

"Show yourself!" You demand.

"I am only here in the mind," Vladislaus replies, "What do you think of my fortress, Mira?"

"It's cold and dark," you say, still looking around the hall, half-expecting him to come flying after you.

"Cold and dark," he murmurs, "Just the way we are, isn't it, Mira?"

"I am not cold and dark!" You yell at the shadows, "What do you want with me, Vladislaus!?" His laughter resounds once more.

"I have great plans for you, Mira…" He says. You don't answer. You are rather petrified by his statement. "To bear my children, be my bride," he whispers fiercely, "To live and rule the world with me, forever!"

"Stay away from me!" You cry, covering your ears. His harsh voice is still echoing all around. You grip the silver crucifix around your neck and hear whispers rising out of the walls. Dracula's laughter resonates all around you, the 'forever' echoing endlessly.

"All is set for you, Mira," he whispers. You grovel, trying not to hear it. But it sounds as if he is talking right inside your head. Perhaps he is…the goddamned monster. "All is set for us," he hisses. "Do you think you will destroy me? Do you think that Gabriel will somehow escape his prison before I execute him?" He laughs again and you feel as if your eardrums may burst. "You do know what I plan to do…take you right before his very eyes. It will slowly devour him from the inside, and then, he will go mad!"

"You're mad!" You cry, "You're mad!" He laughs again.

"No, I do not think that is the correct word, Mira. Or perhaps I am mad…" He chuckles, "And after Gabriel Van Helsing is driven mad, I will stake him…with a thousand wooden spikes!"

"Then you will stake me as well!" You rage, glancing wildly about the corridor. "Only mad men laugh as much as you…" You whisper, spinning around, looking about. He heaves a sigh that seems to wash over the walls and distort the rising whispers.

"I am merry," he says coldly.

"Not!" You yell, pointing your sword at the wall, "You could never be merry!"

"No…" says his voice, fading, "No, I feel nothing…no merriment…no pain…no sorrow…"

"No love!" You say, "NO LOVE!" You wish you could pierce him through with your sword. You know it would do nothing, but if you could have only the satisfaction of it, you would feel all the better.

"You will bring back my ability to feel, Mira," he swoons. The whispers start rising again, louder. "You cannot hide from me now! And you cannot escape!" His voice is hissing ferociously, "The portal is closed! The doors are locked! It won't be long Mira…it won't be long…"

"It will be longer than you can devise!" You scream, falling against the wall. He laughs coldly now and it fades, echoing.

"It won't be long until eternity," he whispers. His voice diminishes and you find yourself in a subconscious state; some realm that exists between reality and dreams.

Suddenly, three beautiful women dressed in flowing pastel colors appear a short distance away. They are partially transparent with devilish eyes and graceful figures. You look at them through hazy eyes. They are so ethereal that it is impossible for you to believe that they are truly there.

"Hello, Mira!" They say, laughing. Any more laughter is going to break you.

"Who are you?" You whisper, your sword forth, your head heavy. They laugh again.

"Who were we, you mean!" They respond, lifting upward and floating to surround you.

"For we are dead!" States the first.

"Dead!" Repeats the second.

"Dead!" Says the third. They laugh, baring fangs most maliciously.

"We were Vladislaus's brides," says the first. You stare at them wide-eyed and they grin.

"And you, my dear Mira," says the second, reaching out to touch you, "You will soon take our forms and give us life again!" They laugh. You draw yourself up firmly and bravely, your eyes burning with hate.

"Get away from me, you devils!" You say passionately, approaching the floating apparitions. They back away laughing.

"Your strength is calling to him!" Says the third.

"My strength will demolish him!" You respond. The three brides shriek and fade away into laughter.

"Mira? Is everything all right down there?" Asks Vladimir's voice. He is coming down the hall now, with Carl in tow. You still stand poised with your sword, staring at the place where the brides vanished. "Mira?" Vladimir rushes to your side, grabbing your hands. "You're cold…you're sweating… what happened?" Finally, the inevitable happens. You break down and start sobbing, falling to your knees. Vladimir is flabbergasted. Carl is obviously confused. "What should I do?" Vladimir asks Carl.

"I don't know!" Carl says, exasperated, "Van Helsing was the one who seemed to know how to properly deal with situations like this!" You can't even talk. All you can do is surrender to this hysteria and hope that somehow you will melt through the floor and disappear forever.

"Mira…I wish I could help you…but, I'm afraid I am quite unfamiliar with what I should be doing for you," fumbles Vladimir.

"Vladimir, 200 years and you still cannot console a woman?" Gasps Carl. Vladimir looks embarrassed.

"Well…" He starts, clearing his throat. Carl raises a brow. You fall over, losing the will to even kneel anymore. "Maybe the stress is just too much…maybe all she needs is a good cry?" Vladimir suggests. Carl rolls his eyes, looking around the corridor.

"Something happened out here…" Carl mutters. He drops to his knees next to you, scrutinizing you. Finally, Vladimir offers you a hand. You look up at him, quieting your hysterical sobs.

"Get up, Mira. You're a warrior," he says. Carl is looking at him sternly, as if he is trying to convey the message: 'Are you completely dense?' You blink, trying to regain your composure. Somehow, his insensitive statement brings you back to reality.

"Idiot," mutters Carl.

"Carl, she just killed a guard up there!" Protests Vladimir. Carl groans.

"Vladimir, the girl is sorrow-stricken! Clearly something has disrupted her nerves immensely! And I think she should now tell us of it," says Carl.

"Never mind!" Says Vladimir, "It doesn't matter, Carl! No need to dwell on the past." There is silence.

"You're right, Vladimir," you say softly, after the pause. You take his outstretched hand and get up. Carl rises slowly afterwards. Vladimir looks at you gently now, almost caringly. He is still holding your hand, but he doesn't seem to realize it. "I don't want to be like them," you state.

"Them?" A frown crosses his face, "Who is 'them?'" You shake your head.

"The ones I am to replace," you reply. Vladimir's eyes look dark.

"Mira, look at me," He takes your hand gently in between his hands and meets your eyes, "Did you see the brides of Dracula?" His face is serious and concerned.

"I saw…their spirits," you say, "Yes…their spirits." Vladimir sighs and embraces you. Your instinct is to pull away, but you realize that for some reason, Vladimir understands now why you had a moment of hysteria.

"You will never be like them," he assures, "It's not in you. You could never be evil."

"Don't say that, Vladimir," you whimper, "If Dracula takes me, I will be evil! He can already control me at times. He has done something to me. I don't know what."

"Mira…" He looks in your eyes, "Don't give up…"

"Well," interrupts Carl, "I have the antidote, and I think it's about time we go investigate the scene on Frankenstein's reassembled laboratory." Vladimir lets go of you (rather reluctantly) and nods at Carl. There is more lightning and thunder at that moment and Carl jumps, looking around alertly.

"Yes, let's go," Vladimir states. This time, he leads the way to the stairs and Carl follows. You linger in the hall for a moment, watching them walk. There is a violent crack of thunder accompanied with an extremely bright flash of lightning and then unexpectedly, stone blocks fall just short of you. "Mira!" Vladimir yells firmly. You quickly run (scared to death) to join them at the stairs and look back. You can hear whispers rising again, speaking in horrible voices and the laughter of Dracula resounds once again. With a brief cry of terror, you rush past Vladimir and fly down the stairs. "Mira, wait!" Calls Vladimir. You don't stop. You run, trying to escape the horrible noise. But now, he laughs within your mind and it feels as if your forehead will split open from the awful sound.

You stumble and nearly fall, but Vladimir runs past and catches you quickly, holding you close. You weep again, burying your face in his chest. He holds you, kind of uncertainly but willingly. "Mira, it's ok. It's going to be over soon," he says.

"His voice is inside my head!" You cry, hearing terrible whispers swirling about within you and then hitting your insides, trying to break you open.

"Dracula, get out of her!" Yells Vladimir, looking wildly about the room of doors, "Get out of her!" He holds you tightly, stroking your hair. "Sh…it's going to be ok…it will be all right…look at me again, Mira…" You raise your eyes and look at his face. He sighs, stroking your cheek with utmost sincerity. He stares at you for a long time and then moves closer as if he is going to kiss you.

"Vladimir!" Exclaims Carl, entering the room. Vladimir quickly jerks his head back. "Inability to console!" Carl grins. You sigh within yourself, thankful that Carl did not notice that last little event.

"Hm," says Vladimir, letting go of you. He pauses in the next doorway. "There's work to be done. Let's go." You exchange a momentary glance with Carl before following. "Carl, which way to the laboratory?" Asks Vladimir.

"To your right," says Carl, "It's surprising that we don't seem to have been noticed by anyone yet."

"Oh trust me," you reply, "We've been noticed." There is more thunder and lightning and then you hear voices in one of the distant halls. Things are just going to get harder from here on in. Dracula will awake in about five more hours, and then, the true hysteria will commence.

**A/N:**

Hello Readers. I would like to say that I owe this whole little "Vladimir-gets-a-little-romantic" section to the ideas of xangelic crimson. So, I would like to thank her, as she is my first faithful reviewer. And don't worry, I am still most likely far from the last chapter, so there will be lots more for you to read. :-D Thank you, all! I appreciate it much!

Your obsessive author,

The Gothik Faerie


	22. Frankenstein's Laboratory

Chapter Twenty Two: Frankenstein's Laboratory 

You check your weapons briefly while walking down the hall. Your pistol is loaded, your sword is sheathed, and your knives are accessible. Vladimir checks his weapons as well, but Carl seems to be more concerned with watching the hallway ahead.

"Carl, are you armed?" You finally ask. The voices that you have been hearing ahead suddenly drop low and then stop completely.

"Hm, what?" Carl answers, turning to look at you, "Oh, yes. Of course." He pats his gun fondly and smiles, turning back. You reach the end of this corridor and enter a vast hall. Looking up, you see multitudes of mucus-laden globes attached to wires. They are open. You glance around nervously. There must be hundreds, even thousands of them.

"What are they?" You ask softly, feeling a dread wash over you. Carl looks at you with an expression of pity.

"Vampires don't breed like humans do…they are cold-blooded, therefore, they reproduce in multitudes…" Carl explains. He motions around the room, "These are what vampire offspring hatch out of," he says. You look around in horror. Vladimir pats your shoulder.

"That is why you kill yourself before he can make you his," Vladimir states. You pass through the hall and enter another dark corridor. "Over here," says Vladimir, pulling you and Carl behind the columns on the side, "This is too close to our adversary's treasure to not be guarded." You walk slowly behind the columns, looking across the dusty tile floor.

Staring at this floor, you have a flashback of dancing on it. It is you, but it is not you…it is Adriana Valerious, you guess. You stare at the floor, entranced. This woman is wearing a gorgeous white silk medieval gown and laden with all kinds of jewels and pearls. She seems to smile and then you look at the man courting her. It is Vladislaus Dracula; young and merry-looking. There is absolutely nothing dark about his poise or his face. He is simply a man in love. His gaze falls across the floor and lands on you, piercing you through with a strange sincerity. He was elegant. He was…incredibly likeable. You shake your head and the figures vanish, leaving the dust-laden floor. You sigh softly and move onward, troubled.

You see a movement on the other side and draw your pistol. Vladimir is searching the opposite shadows carefully, raking with his eyes. Carl just walks nervously ahead, glancing every so often across. Suddenly, a gun goes off, hitting the wall just an inch above Vladimir's head. (If he hadn't been slightly bent over, it would have hit him square in the forehead). You quickly take cover. There is a lengthy moment of silence as you move furtively from behind the pillar, pistol ready. You hear the click of a gun and fire before your enemy can. His shot goes off but you fling yourself clear of it, landing next to Carl. He is shaking again.

There is another flourish of gunfire and then Vladimir moves in beside you. All of a sudden, your enemies decide to reveal themselves. They are barbaric-looking men and heavily armed with blades and guns. Each is well over six feet tall and there are seven of them. They move toward the row of pillars slowly, but the hall is wide.

"Carl!" You whisper, "Just stay put!" You leap without a sound to the next pillar and climb up with some difficulty. Vladimir climbs up the other pillar, exchanging glances with you. Carl is left on the ground. The poor friar is too frightened to even whimper.

"Come on out," says a gruff voice, "And we may spare your lives!" They laugh amongst themselves. When they are in perfect range of any of your weapons, you take aim and shoot the closest one. Vladimir does the same. The guards, surprised, fire back but do not succeed in hitting you. One reaches forward and drags Carl out of the shadows, putting a gun to his head. You shoot down one more guard before leaping to the ground while drawing your sword. Vladimir continues shooting from his perch.

You swipe the guard that holds Carl and drive him back. Carl crawls away with a whimper. The guard draws his blade in a rage to meet the challenge. Vladimir succeeds in destroying another. That is four down and three to go. You sense another guard at your back and swerve around just in time to parry another blade (that would have landed in your back). You whip out your knife and take on both attackers in a fit of mild and slightly desperate defense. Vladimir is able to shoot down one more. Then he leaps to the floor, drawing a blade.

Vladimir moves one of the remaining guards back, crossing blades with him. You attack your assailant with merciless rage and drive him back to the wall. He manages to knick you in the shoulder, but it is insignificant to your morale. You finally kill him with one blow. You meet Vladimir in the middle, after he has defeated his attacker. Then you nod at each other respectfully.

"Nice work," comments Vladimir, looking around at the seven demolished guards.

"You too," you reply, sheathing your blades.

"Come on, Carl," Vladimir says. Carl comes out slowly, shaking. Without a comment, you move onward to the end of the hall, pausing at another stairwell that leads to the shorter, wider tower. This is not a spiral stair; it is a wide, shallow one leading to an enormous doorway. Past the doorway, shadows seem to waltz about a maze of wires and machines. Thunder cracks outside again.

"Oh God," you say. Van Helsing's words run through your head: Stop the progress in the laboratory. You gulp, a hand on your sword. "How do we take out a scientific laboratory?" You ask. Carl shrugs.

"I would have read about it had I known we needed to do it," Carl admits. Vladimir is staring at the doorway.

"We can't," he says softly, "I don't see how it's possible."

"We have to!" You say, "Van Helsing said so!"

"Mira," Vladimir says seriously, "There could be well over a hundred operators in there. Any could catch you, imprison you, and then you'd be a dead woman or an undead woman."

"Vladimir—"

"—Mira! Since I am charged with defending your life, I feel that order precedes Van Helsing's other order, since it was spoken first. In conclusion, I think we should go hide out until a bit before dawn, and then put the remainder of the plan into action," Vladimir says. You narrow your eyes at him and draw your blade.

"I will not desert this part of the plan!" You say. Then, resolutely, you walk up the stairs to the doorway. Vladimir grabs your arm and you wrench away. "Stay away from me, Vladimir!" You growl. He looks at you sternly. Carl still stands at the foot of the stairs. Vladimir grabs you by the waist.

"Don't make me do something I'll regret," Vladimir says sternly. You struggle against his firm muscles. He grips tighter and stops your resistance with a smooth, passionate kiss. It takes you completely by surprise. You drop your struggle and suddenly find yourself inhaling fumes. Briefly, you whimper, and then, you black out.

You awake drowsily in a dark room with Vladimir standing nearby, holding a sword. You sit up with a gasp and glare at him. "You have no brains!" You cry, getting up and trying to attack him. He holds you at bay easily. You draw your sword, fire in your gaze. "What time is it, Vladimir?" You demand, shaking your sword at him.

"Five minutes till dusk," he replies calmly, looking around the room.

"Vladimir, you must let me go! I must disarm the laboratory!" You say.

"You're going nowhere. We stay here till dawn," he answers stubbornly. Suddenly, a scroll comes out of nowhere, hitting Vladimir square in the head. He is unconscious instantaneously. Through the dim light, you see Carl's trembling figure.

"Go, Mira. And hurry," Carl says. You are very surprised by Carl's action, but you don't waste a second. You take off down the hall running. The storm is hitting full-force on the castle now. You can hear the wind blowing ferociously through the walls and the rain pelting the roof like shards of ice. Perhaps they are shards of ice. It might be too cold for rain. The thunder rolls violently all around and the fortress seems to shudder. Soon, you are coming up on the laboratory. You pause at the door, looking in.

It is a mess of equipment and wires, but somehow is arranged for operational understanding. There are hundreds of figures working at different stations but they are all too absorbed to notice you. You turn back into the doorway to catch your breath and think.

"Who are you?" A voice asks, nearly in your ear. With a quiet shriek, you bolt to the opposite side of the doorway and look back. Through a barred window, you see a face that is human, but at the same time, is not human. Whatever it is, it does not look evil and is looking at you with a certain curiosity.

"Mira DeLune," you respond, finally catching your breath. His eyes go wide.

"You should not be here! He will find you!" He says. You move back to his side of the doorway.

"I am here with Van Helsing," you say, "He is imprisoned and I must stop the processes in the laboratory."

"Van Helsing?" The name sparks some interest in the creature, but he quickly recovers. "Run, child. Save yourself," the creature says.

"Who are you?" You ask.

"Some call me monster…Frankenstein's monster," he replies. He looks sad. You cannot see far beyond the bars but you can tell he must be kept in a rather small chamber.

"Frankenstein!" You exclaim, "Can you tell me where the control center is?"

"It's too dangerous for you to be here. Run while you can," says the monster, shaking his head and looking at you worriedly.

"I made a promise!" You say, tears in your eyes, "A promise to Van Helsing. I will keep that promise. Please. Where is the control center?"

"That will only delay him," replies the monster, "I am the key to my father's machine…with me, all he will need to do is rebuild the laboratory and then all will be set again."

"I only need a delay!" You say impatiently, "Where is the control center!?" He hesitates, looking at you. He sighs.

"Far left corner…you can't miss it." He says. You smile.

"Thank you," you say. Then, you enter the laboratory and slink along the side. It is dark, offering you a shield from the workers' eyes. You glance ahead at a large control center. Looking up, you note all kinds of hanging objects. The wires, you see, run along the ceiling and out through openings in the wall. There are two catwalks high up in the cathedral-like ceiling and a bridge runs across the mid-level. Altogether, the laboratory has five levels of circling walkways and the main contraption appears to be on the roof. The buzzing and the motors hurt your ears.

As you approach the control center unnoticed, you note at least ten people are manning it. Taking them all on at once would be suicide. It would alert the entire room to your presence. You must think quickly. Looking up again, you see a possible solution. Above all hangs a very heavy-looking platform; a bit larger than 10 feet long. If you shoot out the bolts or damage the supports enough, it will fall. Then, it will likely catch the ropes beneath. So, if you cut the ropes, you could maneuver the platform straight into the control center. Of course, this is all a great risk, but if you concentrate enough, you may be able to accomplish it and get out alive.

You focus attention on the platform and play out the angles in your head. Then, you take steady aim with your pistol and shoot at the bolt. The first shot misses, and the sound is lost amidst the whir of the machinery. The second scrapes the supports. The third knocks the first bolt out, and the fourth knocks the second bolt out. The platform creaks and breaks, falling as you had planned into the ropes. The workers have noticed the disruption by now and are rushing to the scene. You quickly slice the ropes, giving a mighty pull. The platform topples down into the control center, smashing it in a terrific electrical explosion. Mission accomplished, you glance at the laboratory to make sure all the machinery is failing. Then, you run.

The workers are on to you now, but they still cannot see you. Finally, however ,you must sacrifice a view as you bolt through the nearest room. The full moon is shining through a net of black clouds, low in the tall window. The sound of the workers' shouts diminishes. In front of the window is a red velvet chaise. Your heart nearly stops as you seem to glimpse a dead woman on the chair. When you blink, the face changes and the clothes change, and when you blink again, you see yourself in that place. You think you must be going insane. You rush past it, turn the corner, and skid to a stop as you come face-to-face with Count Vladislaus Dracula. You quickly back away. His face is not friendly, but he smiles anyway.

"Hello, my love. So nice of you to visit," he says.


	23. A Broken Soul in a Secret Room

**Chapter Twenty Three: A Broken Soul in a Secret Room**

The dramatic silence is nearly enough to kill you. The Count does not move and it does not look like he plans on moving far for a few minutes. Still, you are prepared for any sudden movements. "I see you've familiarized yourself with my fortress. That is very good," he says, folding his hands gracefully behind his back and smirking at you. "The longer you live here, the better you will know all of the secret paths…"

"I don't plan on living here," you retort, a guarding hand on your sword hilt. Dracula laughs softly. The lightning flashes off of his pale face, the thunder following in a slow rumble. It makes you nervous and plans fly through your mind. What can you do to distract him long enough to gain more time? "You might want to…check your laboratory, Vladislaus," you finally say, assuming a relaxed position. You expect that this remark will hit him hard, and it does. His eyes narrow and then he shoves past, stepping into the laboratory.

The instant he turns his back, you run as fast as possible. You slam the door, jamming a nearby table into the handle. Then you continue running through the dark corridor, just hoping Dracula will not catch you right away. Halfway down the pillared hallway, you can hear him coming. You quickly veer off behind the columns and stop at the wall with a gasp. The Count lands on the stairs at the far end, his cape rushing forward and back in the darkness, until he stands in silence.

"You have taken more liberties than I would have liked!" He hisses. His eyes search the hall wildly and angrily. He recomposes himself. "It is no large matter. Our children will live yet. The control center can be rebuilt in three days. I have some of the best scientists working for me…" He walks down and starts looking through the pillars. You start to back away, your eyes never leaving the place where he walks. The other door is so close but so far away. "Do you remember this room, Adriana?" He asks, walking and staring straight through the pillars at you. Suddenly, your impulses are failing you as he transforms your memories into a magnificent vision.

You look down and see the white silk medieval gown; sleeves flowing nearly floor-length lined in silver brocade. So the woman had indeed been Adriana. The Count appears younger by at least ten years and he beckons you forward from the shadows. You practically float to his side and then, you are waltzing across a bright floor to nonexistent but haunting music. He speaks to you as if in a dream.

"When we were young," he says, pulling you closer, "We never used to fret about immortality or death…" He dips you low to the ground. "…or deceit, or sorrow… there was only love." He pulls you up firmly, looking into your eyes. His hand seems to burn your skin icily. It instills deep memories of winter moons and empty graves; fallen forests and deceitful whispers.

"But you no longer think of love," you remind. "Now, you think of only death." He dips you again, suspending your delicate form from his arms that are like steel supports. It is an angry gesture. You gasp with surprise and realization. "Because love forsook you…"

"You forsook me!" He hisses, leaning close to your neck in a hateful anguish. You close your eyes as he draws your neck under his lips, gently hypnotizing you with his chilling touch. His voice goes low and soft, making you shiver. "I'm tired of games, Adriana…I'm tired of chasing you through immortal realms and the mortal world…tired of losing you to the madness of my jealousy; my jealousy that has murdered you twice already and slowly suffocates you even now…" He trails his lips across your collarbone. "No more, Adriana. No more will the cockcrow start your living hours. Forget the sun. Remember the moon in its lifeless eternity, hanging in the deepening darkness, stealing away your breath with every second of the night. Let the day die, and embrace becoming one with the night…" He pulls you up and you open your eyes, looking at his entrancing pools of darkness. "But this is not where we were placed, is it? You are too weak to deny your own instincts. My power draws you in like a magnet. This you know, Princess Adriana…it is not too late to succomb to the desires of a lost heart." His voice echoes off mystically and you look across the hall. Then, there in the shadows appears, for a fleeting moment, the figure of Gabriel Van Helsing. He is young, handsome still, and dressed in the fashion of the day. The Count follows your gaze and then snarls, throwing you. The mystical moment is destroyed.

Now you scuttle across a dusty floor and retain your position among the shadows. The door seems lifetimes away. The Count composes himself at the center of the hall. "You can't run forever, Mira," he warns. You continue slowly inching towards the door. "Are you forgetting that no matter where you go, I will find you? You are better off surrendering now, my love." Your fingers grasp the edge of the door and you almost sigh, thinking of running again. But you are tired already. "You think going through that door will get you anywhere?" He asks coldly. You are amazed at his severe personality changes, but slowly begin to slip around the corner. "Where do you plan to run to?" You whirl around and see him standing yet again in your way. "Mira, Mira…" He chides, smiling at you, "Always running…" You back away again, into the hall. He does not follow but stands in the doorway that leads to your temporary salvation.

"It's over, Vladislaus," you say, a hand on your sword by instinct only, "Why do you pursue something that cannot and will not exist?"

"Cannot, will not," he repeats almost thoughtfully. Then he smiles a devious smile and begins to approach you, each step so soft but so loud. Your life flashes before you. "Here we are, alone in the dark…" he whispers. He looks around at the multitude of torches that offer light.

"No…" You whisper, following his gaze. Then, one by one, the torches begin to burn out. But the process is slow, and there are many torches. So he takes delight in circling you like a predator circling his prey. You become frantic but there is now no escape for you.

"Where will you run, Mira? Where will you run when the lights go out?" He laughs. "For I rule the darkness; the darkness that you fear…the darkness that all fear!" He starts moving in closer to you, still circling. "And they should fear us!"

"I do not fear you," you say softly. It is a lie, but you make it sound convincing. "I do not fear lies, deceit, lust, jealousy…they lack meaning."

"You fear death, then. And I am death." His eyes gleam as the last torches flicker out. Now it is dark and only faintly can you see his form. The only light comes from the moonbeams shining through the ceiling and the windows. Still, his eyes glow menacingly.

"Why should I fear death?" You ask. Inside, you keep telling yourself to keep talking. Maybe it will delay him. "Everyone dies someday."

"You fear death, and living again," Dracula answers. He is close to you now. His cold lips affix themselves to your warm neck, threatening to pierce the tender flesh and drain your life. You catch your breath and close your eyes against the horrid darkness, wishing for light; wishing to be free. "Fear…" he murmurs in your ear, "Nightmares…terrible dreams and visions…yes, you are a haunted woman…and you shall be…life after life…" He grasps you suddenly in his iron grip. "Haunted," he hisses like a beast. You stare at him, bedazzled and confused. "But no more haunted if you begin an eternity with me!"

"Love prevails…" you murmur, "Love prevails…" He laughs coldly into your ears, echoing throughout your tortured mind and breaking your soul.

"You were never meant for love. I was never meant for love," he says, "We were meant to lust for one another…to desire only for the purpose of darkness…your father promised you to me, and you broke that promise!" He begins to grow angry again, his tone hissing with rage, "With a kiss, you betrayed me!" His nails cut into your neck's flesh. You cry out.

"Vladislaus, you betrayed yourself!" You nearly scream. His cold tongue swiftly licks away the blood flowing from the cuts he made. Then he drops you, seeming to be satisfied for the moment. You know he is not finished though. You place a protective hand on your neck and cry, feeling ultimately broken.

"And how did I betray myself, Mira?" He asks.

"Mortal instincts can be controlled…" You choke, "But you let them consume you. You let the guilt, the jealousy, the anguish, the rage, the sorrow…you let them consume you like wild-fire!" He snarls and you fall lower to the ground in fear. "And having become immune to the extremes, you feel nothing…" You whisper. The darkness envelops you like a suffocating blanket. You cannot escape it. A cloud has covered the moon. Dracula is silent now, and suddenly, you hear a sound you would never think to hear from Count Vladislaus Dracula. He sobs. It is a bitter sound coming from him. For some reason, it sounds only hollow and without feeling, as if he is acting. But you know he is not acting. You do not raise yourself, afraid that he might suddenly have an outburst. Finally, he quiets himself and stands in the silence.

"Complete me, Mira," he says gently. When you look up, the moon has come out from behind the clouds and Dracula's form is silhouetted. But his back is to you. You don't move. Right now is an opportunity to get away. "The beauty and the beast. We shall be a lovely pair," he says, "Only you can tame me."

"You can't be tamed," you whisper, inching away without a sound, "And I don't want to try it." You reach the pillars and the doorway looms behind you now. You keep your eyes fixated on the Count. He doesn't seem to have noticed that you have gotten so far away. He chuckles to himself, as if he is regaining his spark of wickedness.

"No, of course not…Dracula tamed…" He says aloud. But he is thinking to himself aloud. "I could never be tamed…no, not I. I was born to be wild and free…to rule the darkness and be feared always…" You rise at the door without a sound. Not even your heels click the surface of the floor. "Yet you claim not to fear me…" You hear a devilish smile enter his voice. "I shall have to try harder." But when he turns around, you are gone.

Soon you are entering warm torchlight again and it makes you feel better. But you do not look back. You know that if he appears, it will be a frontal assault. It would be unlike him to attack from behind. You know that he wanted to see the fear in his prey's eyes. Then, there is the open door you are looking for. You throw yourself in, exhausted, and hear the sound of low voices talking. You reach up and slam the door behind you, locking it and then grabbing a large array of chairs and tables. You block it off efficiently with these items and then fall backward with a gasp. Vladimir and Carl simply stare at you.

Carl is the first to approach. When you open your eyes, he stands over you. "Well?" He asks.

"Frankenstein's Laboratory is temporarily out of service," you state. Carl grins.

"I knew you could do it…!" He says. Vladimir comes over and lifts you from the ground, placing you back on the bed. He first notices the cuts on your neck.

"What is this?" He asks, reaching a hand out to touch them.

"Nothing!" You say defensively, pushing his hand away. He is looking at you seriously. "I almost died, Vladimir," you whisper, closing your eyes and turning over in the bed, trying not to cry, "I almost died…"

"But you're alive," Vladimir says, reaching out to touch your back.

"Somehow…I don't know how…somehow I knew his weaknesses…how to stall him…" You say, "I have memories…these flashbacks of deaths and moments…" Your voice becomes frantic, "Horrible nightmares! And always he is there! Always!" You lose the words now as you weep into the pillow. Vladimir puts a comforting hand on your shoulder.

"Mira…do not worry. He will not find us here. It is a secret room," he consoles, sitting on the edge of the bed. You slowly sit up, looking at him through a tear-stricken face.

"A secret room?" You repeat. He nods, lifting a finger to wipe a tear from your face. He pulls out a note and hands it to you, getting up and walking away. You open the note and read it.

"Do not lose hope," it reads, "This room was created by the ancients to protect those who seek to vanquish the evil that dwells here. Do not fear any longer, for this room can only be revealed fully in the daylight. Evil creatures will see solely stones in place of this room, for it is barely tangible to things that should have passed into the underworld. Use this sanctuary as you will. Signed, Saint Peter." You look up at Vladimir.

"How did you know of this place?" You ask in amazement.

"I read a lot," says Vladimir, "That is why I said we should hide away…I knew of a safe place. I just didn't want to tell you until I knew if this was the place and only after Carl had helped you escape did I find this note. It is truly a miracle that we have been so fortunate." You sigh deeply, falling back into the pillows.

"Thank you, God…" You whisper. But even then, dread grows upon your heart for the hours before dawn. You fear leaving this sanctuary, and find that you want to live, more than anything anymore. You look at Dracula's ring upon your finger, and trace the insignia in curiosity. You do not care about any answers to any of your questions anymore, save one: Why?


	24. The Coffin Riddle

**Chapter Twenty Four: The Coffin Riddle**

All of you are restless already. The rain has started again, but it is not a raging torrent. It is a gentle patter on the small window (which is covered by a black velvet drape). You lay in the bed listening to the natural rhythm and close your eyes. "We can't stay here forever," you say. Vladimir doesn't answer. Carl is playing with a crucifix. "I failed to mention," you remember aloud, "Frankenstein's monster is here." Carl stops playing with the crucifix. Vladimir lifts his head as you open your eyes and look at them. Carl has an inexplicable expression on his face.

"What do you mean?" Carl asks.

"Locked up in a cell by the laboratory," you say. Carl gets up immediately and heads over to the door. He starts removing the furniture-blockade from the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Vladimir says, springing up from the floor. Carl ignores him until he grabs his arm.

"I have to get him!" Carl insists.

"Carl, don't be crazy," Vladimir says, drawing him away from the door. "The laboratory is down. Therefore, the monster is useless to Dracula. Don't worry."

"Dracula may, in a fit of rage, try to repair the laboratory tonight rather than waiting the necessary three days," you interject.

"See!" Carl says desperately, wrenching away from Vladimir and going to the door again.

"No one is leaving this room until we develop a plan!" Vladimir yells. You stare at him from the bed in curiosity. You cannot recall ever seeing him so angry. Carl looks slightly astonished at Vladimir's outburst.

"Well then, let's develop a plan," you say. Vladimir shoves Carl away from the door. The friar is visibly un-nerved. "And let's not loose our wits," you recommend, looking at the ceiling, "There's got to be something we can do."

"Well, first of all, we need to think about this ending sequence," states Vladimir. He and Carl pull chairs up to the bed and sit. "It has to be intricate and tactful. We have to play through all of the scenarios."

"Well, I need someone to create a diversion so I can release Van Helsing," you say, "But the problem is that the Count will be on the lookout for me. He won't care if he sees you and me together, because he will simply choose to go after me first."

"Then we'll go out first…distract the Count…and you can slip off to the tower," Vladimir says.

"What if that doesn't work?" You ask.

"How can it not work?" Vladimir asks in return.

"What if he somehow…just knew where I was…what if…"

"Don't start up on this past lives and sixth sense junk, Mira," Vladimir says, rolling his eyes and sighing heavily.

"It's not junk!" Argues Carl. Vladimir stares at him, aghast.

"You're a friar! You don't believe in such things!" He exclaims.

"Vladimir…there are some things in this world that should be hidden from the public eye," says Carl, "Such as the existence of immortal beings."

"One can only fight the supernatural with supernatural senses," you say, hugging your knees and looking far off into nothing, "He knows me Vladimir… and I know him. It's an ethereal sense that I cannot explain, and it will thwart every plan we try to make in his house." Vladimir is silent.

"Maybe we can use this connection to defeat him," suggests Carl, "Mira…you know his weaknesses!"

"I am his only weakness," you say, "Besides the werewolf and the sun."

"Then you must be the diversion until the werewolf is unleashed," Vladimir says.

"How can I do that?" You ask, lifting your chin from your knees to look at him.

"Talk around him," suggests Vladimir, "I think you can get a head start, at least. That will give you…two minutes, maybe."

"Two minutes only gets me a little less than halfway up the tower," you say, envisioning this as you speak.

"Run and you'll almost reach the top. Then, fight him off," says Vladimir.

"It's not going to work!" You insist. Suddenly, something smashes into the door and you hear the splintering of wood. You all exchange glances in shock. "It's him…" You whisper, "He found me." There is another smash. Vladimir grabs you up in his arms and runs to the back of the room. Carl follows. Vladimir flings open a wall panel and leaps in. Carl jumps in after you and slams the panel just as the door into the room breaks.

Now, you are descending through a dark tunnel that doesn't seem to have an end. "Where are we, Vladimir?" You ask.

"To tell you the truth, I don't really know," he replies.

"Well, how did you know to go this way?" You ask, shifting slightly in his strong arms.

"Carl found it when you were in the laboratory. There is a ceiling passage as well, but it seemed to us that all the danger was occurring above," Vladimir says, "Tell me, Mira. Does this sixth sense of yours act like a… map of some kind?"

"What do you mean, 'a map?'" You ask, looking at him imploringly.

"Do you know where he is and what direction he is coming from?" Vladimir asks.

"No…not really," you say.

"Damn it," Vladimir curses. You see light ahead and soon stand in the doorway of a large crypt. It is poorly lit with a few torches. The floor, however, is well-kept. Vladimir finally sets you down and you begin to walk forward.

"This is Dracula's tomb," you say, as the realization hits you. Ahead is a large stone coffin. You approach it and examine. "Carl, there are inscriptions." Carl comes over immediately and kneels, running a finger over the words.

"An ancient curse on an ancient soul…even destroying this evil will not destroy him in full…for destiny has it that he shall never truly die, until his heart is at rest in the hands of his bride," reads Carl. You stare at the coffin with a sort of hatred. "That's odd…" says Carl, "He had three brides…"

"It speaks of me," you say. Carl and Vladimir both look at you. "I was betrothed to him and I denied him his mortal wedding…his mortal wedding night…his child…" You break off and stare at the coffin, running a hand along the edge. "If only I could go back…"

"Don't wish for that!" Snaps Vladimir. You look at Vladimir, your eyes welling up with tears.

"His life ended by me!" You say, "If it weren't for me, Van Helsing would never have had to kill him! Don't you understand? If I had just accepted the life I was to lead, we wouldn't be here now! We wouldn't be risking our lives and souls!" You are on the breaking point.

"Mira!" Vladimir says fiercely, taking you by the shoulders. He looks you in the eyes and his frustration dies. He sighs. "Mira…" He touches your cheek softly. "You are far too compassionate for your own good…it's in the past. There is nothing to be done about it now. What happened, happened, and it all happened for a reason." Your eyes fall placidly upon the coffin. Carl stands nearby, just watching the two of you. "Mira?" Vladimir calls your attention back. You lift your eyes slowly and look back at him, the tears having not fully vanished, but having not fallen yet. He kisses your forehead modestly, and then your hand. "We're going to win this battle," he says, "Because if we don't, then the world is ended." There is certainly nothing like pressure…

"So, what are we going to do now?" Asks Carl, "I think that the Count will be joining us momentarily, and I think that we don't want to be around when that happens…"

"Too late for that, my dear holy man," A voice says from the ceiling. You all lift your eyes and see Dracula suspended from the ceiling, arms behind his back. With a gentle sway, he drops to the ground and lands with a bare click, strolling towards you. But he keeps his distance still. Carl looks terrified. Vladimir stands in front of you. "I don't like it when people enter my house uninvited," Dracula says, looking at you sternly, "And I don't like it when people refuse my hospitality either."

"What hospitality?" Growls Vladimir. The Count smirks and then chuckles, moving away. He starts lighting a few more candles absentmindedly, as if it is just another thing to occupy his time. He seems very relaxed.

"You know, all I want is Mira. You can go free after you give her to me," he says.

"You can go to hell before you get her," says Vladimir. You stand quietly behind him.

"Give me over Vladimir," you say quietly. He whirls and faces you. Your eyes are downcast. The Count slowly turns and then smiles at you deviously.

"Mira, no. I was entrusted with your life and I shall not turn from that," Vladimir says tersely. You lift your eyes and look at him. Then you look at the Count. He no longer smiles. He just looks serious, as if he does not believe what you are suggesting. You move past Vladimir. He tries to bar the way, but you shove him away. He stands helpless, looking at you as you walk towards the Count.

Dracula doesn't move. He regards you with calm and enchanting eyes. Soon, you are within his reach. But he does not strike, or touch you for that matter. He seems more surprised than anything.

"Mira…no…" whispers Vladimir. When you look at him, there is pain in his eyes. But he does not understand your thoughts. He does not understand the riddle on the Count's coffin. Even then, however, you cannot carry through with the riddle right away…

"I hope you can forgive me, Vladislaus," you say, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Forgive you for what, my love?" He asks charmingly, still staring at you. You smile at him for a long time and then enter a silent staring contest with him. After a minute, the silence is clearly driving him mad. "What, Mira?" He asks in a soft hiss. The smile has not left your lips. You let another minute pass, until you can see that his anger is growing.

"For this," you say, hardly allowing another second to pass before whipping out your sword and striking him soundly on the head with the hilt. He collapses with a hard clunk and you grab Vladimir and Carl. You run, without explaining, through the door and out into the hall. Vladimir looks shocked, and impressed. Carl keeps looking back, half expecting the Count to come rushing after you.

"How long is that going to hold him?" Asks Vladimir.

"Only about a minute," you answer, breathless, "But it will disorient his brain processes. This way." You lead them through more tunnels and pathways, going up, going down, until it seems you have become lost in a labyrinth. You turn immediately to face Vladimir, once you are certain that the Count will not find you. "I have a plan," you say. Vladimir halts abruptly, and Carl nearly falls over. "Look, you must listen and do everything I say. It is too important that you do not mess it up. I cannot unleash Van Helsing. Carl will do it. And you have the antidote, Vladimir. You will do that as planned. You see… the riddle on the Count's coffin has posed another problem for us."

"What problem? It's a silly riddle," says Vladimir, raising a brow, "But continue…"

"The riddle says that he will only truly die when his heart lays at rest in the hands of his bride. His bride, Vladimir. I am his bride. Do you understand?" You say, almost desperately.

"No, I don't understand," Vladimir says.

"I have to become his bride, Vladimir. It was my destiny," you say.

"No!" He says, "No! I won't let you do that!"

"Vladimir! Listen!" You look at him earnestly, "I won't die… I wasn't meant to die… but you must try to understand how everything falls together. Look… this is what I believe. I think that the riddle and the painting are connected."

"That's absurd! They contradict one another!" Vladimir cries, "Think rationally, Mira!"

"This isn't about rationalizing!" You yell, "Look… Dracula can only be killed by a werewolf, this is true. This part we all know already. But the sequence with the warrior stabbing the mortal form in the heart and the rising sun…don't you see? It's representational! The sun represents his bride. The warrior stabbing Dracula's dead mortal form represents a heart at rest. Don't you see? His heart is at rest in the hands of his bride!"

"There must be another way!" Exclaims Vladimir.

"It has nothing to do with the day!" You reply. You take out the key to Van Helsing's cell and give it to Vladimir. He pushes it away, back towards you. "You must unleash Van Helsing!"

"Wait a moment, Mira. In the hands of his bride. I do not think you need to become his bride. I think it is you who must cut out his heart… Then, you must bury it and pray for his soul," says Carl.

"I like that idea better!" says Vladimir, "I will not have you die as a forsaken soul." You sigh.

"But I must still be the diversion for the Count," you say.

"It's too risky! Van Helsing might attack you instead of the Count!" Insists Vladimir.

"Risks must be taken!" You cry. Then you turn to Carl, "Carl… take this key. You and Vladimir go unleash Van Helsing…"

"Mira, I won't let you do this!" Vladimir yells. You glare at him. Carl takes the key.

"Go, Carl," you say. You turn on your heel and walk in the direction you had just come from.

"Mira, don't you dare!" Says Vladimir, almost hysterically. But Carl grabs him and drags him off. And you disappear into the darkness, your destination being Dracula's lair.

The prospects look grimmer than ever, and you are putting yourself in perhaps the most dangerous situation of them all, but sacrifices must be made…

And you are the only one that can afford it.


	25. Awakening the Past

**Chapter Twenty Five: Awakening the Past**

It does not take you a long time to re-find Dracula's tomb. It is, as you expected, quite deserted. But you know this is not for long. He will soon return, and you must get your wits in order. The room is so cold and dark that you shiver all over. Memories dance upon the edges of your mind like ancient shadows of haunted trees. You are dangerously close to the awakening of a past life, and even closer to a mortal death. But Dracula was right; you fear becoming the undead. Still, you must face this fear as best as you can. You just do not know how long you can hold out against the Count's seduction.

You wonder what you will do once he returns. You try to think about things to say or do, just to hold him off until Van Helsing arrives. But other things cloud over your thinking processes like smoke from a nonexistent fire. Then you realize he is here. Your eyes fall upon him in the shadows, though you see him not. He walks around in the shadows, watching you. You watch him too, yet, you cannot see him. He seems to enjoy dragging out the moment, because he speaks not. You can tell he is amused by the fact that you cannot see him, yet, you still know where he is.

Finally, he steps out slowly and crosses behind the coffin, walking among the stone altars. "Hello, Mira," he says, rather cheerfully. "I do not find your last stunt very amusing."

"Oh come now, Count. Have a sense of humour," you say dryly. He simply frowns and continues walking around you.

"Now, Mira. You know I can feel nothing, nor have a sense of humour," he states.

"I had forgotten," you say blankly, watching him like a hawk.

"So why did you come back, after so … soundly clunking me off the head with that wretched thing of yours?" He asks, motioning at your sword. You unsheath your sword and place it on the ground as a peace offering.

"This time, I really came to apologize," you say. You mind races. You have to make this conversation last long enough.

"Apologize for what?" The Count hisses, "Which wrong-doing do you come to apologize for? Do you come to apologize for betraying me with Van Helsing four hundred years ago? Do you come to apologize for ruining me two hundred years ago? Or, perhaps, do you come to apologize for denying me plainly this very year?" His eyes glare out at you from the darkness.

"All, Vladislaus," you say, mildly, "But only if you could refresh my memory on what exactly my wrong-doings were…"

"Oh, Mira, Mira, Mira…" He chuckles. You whirl around as he comes out from behind you and starts pacing ten feet away. It is too close for your comfort. He sighs. "It no longer matters to me what you did wrong… you have the heart to make amends, and that is all that matters."

"But I wish to know of what I did," you insist, backing away a few steps. He shakes his head, approaching you.

"I can read your mind, Mira," he says, "You wish to know all… and you wish me to tell you all…" You gulp slightly, afraid that he might also know that this is just to keep him talking. "But come, let me show you all instead," he says, offering a hand.

"Are you going to take me if I take your hand, Vladislaus?" You say, stepping back more. He smiles.

"My dear, of course not… not yet, at least," he states. You wonder if you should trust this.

"Very well. Show me, then," you say, but you do not take his hand.

"Then take my hand," he says, stepping closer.

"If I take your hand, you are going to take me," you say, stepping back again.

"Who says?" Asks the Count, stepping towards you. You back away slowly and he follows, until you are against the wall.

"…I don't want to die," you say to him, "Not yet, Vladislaus…not yet. I want to know first." He reaches down and grasps your hand.

"Come, Mira," he says, pulling you out of the shadows, "Let me revive your memories." You wonder then, are you ready for this? But he pulls you persistently and you can tell there is no turning back now. You are going to discover your history, and part of Van Helsing's, whether you want to or not.

You enter the ballroom once more and find yourself stepping into Adriana again. It seems so real to you, that you almost believe it. But when you look at Vladislaus, you realize it is only a vision of the past. He dances with you across the floor.

"This," he says, swirling you around the floor, "Was supposed to be the happiest night of my life." Van Helsing appears in the shadows. "And then he had to show up," growls Dracula, walking you over to Van Helsing. You find yourself curtsying to him as he bows to you and Dracula leans against the pillar, watching. "He was born the son of a King, but, his mother was a servant. What a shameful position, to be born out of wedlock…" The vampire watches Van Helsing with interest. Lightning flashes and suddenly you are flying over a dirt road. The images of inns and various places flash in the sky through a dark network of tree-branches. "You ran for ten years away from me and my forces… then, my dear Adriana…" He smiles, baring his fangs, "We killed you." Lightning flashes and thunder cracks. You let out a screech of surprise, seeing the red velvet chaise located just outside of the laboratory, with a pale white form upon it, clearly in death. It is Adriana.

"Oh God…" You murmur, thinking you might pass out.

"Then, Van Helsing pursued me… and he defeated me…" Dracula's eyes grow dark. "He took my ring," he recalls as well. You quickly cover up your hand, afraid that he would discover that you now carry his ring. "I made my pact… I became the undead…" He smiles devilishly. The room whirls about you and you collapse in Dracula's grasp. He laughs slightly. "Talia," he says, "Princess Talia…a much shorter, sadder story…" You gasp as you suddenly transform into a gorgeous, dark-haired French lady, in a stiff gold gown that is nearly suffocating you.

"I hereby declare Count Vladislaus Dracula an enemy of the country!" You find yourself saying, to a large assembly, "May he and his countrymen perish into the fiery abyss of hell."

"Ruined me…" Dracula whispers, scenes flashing through his eyes. It whirs by and changes again. "Then you left that meeting to return to your dear amant at the nearest inn," says Dracula. (amant: FR. Lover n).

You are walking down a street at night, and it is foggy. The scene still looks unfamiliar to you, but suddenly you are attacked by Dracula and he sinks his teeth into your neck. You scream and flail your arms until part of you somehow perishes, and he draws another part of you up to his side gracefully. You look down at the dead Talia Dulaq, in horror.

"So he came after me again," says Dracula, "And I killed him." With a sweep of his cape, this awful scene disappears, and you stand in the present, still in the ballroom. You stare at him with mixed emotions.

"You've been a monster all of your life…" You whisper, backing out of his grasp. He laughs, as if he is proud of it.

"Yes, Mira…yes!" He says. He sweeps dust off the floor in his hands. "You had, of course, lives before that, but they are relatively insignificant. You are I were lovers in 200 BC, you and Van Helsing were lovers in 132 AD, etcetera, etcetera…" Your head spins as he slowly lets the dust seep through his fingers.

"You are summarizing!" You accuse, pointing at him rather blindly. You nearly fall over in your momentary delirium. He grins, catching you and holding you, suspended, above the dusty floor.

"Yes, love. I am summarizing," he says, "Because the past is unimportant now. I have you, I have Van Helsing, and everything shall be my way…"

"Not yet!" You yell, trying to get away. He grips you tightly, arching your back so that you are virtually defenseless.

"I gave you the information you wanted!" He says fiercely, running his cold hands up over your body. You catch your breath and tense up, your heart beginning to pump faster. He closes his eyes listening.

"Such a beautiful symphony of life," he whispers, his hand running up your neck You gasp, trying to move. He opens his eyes and stares at you, hypnotizing.

"Get away from me!" You cry, shifting your feet, trying to scuttle across the floor. He remains unmoved by your actions.

"Oh, so helpless my dear. Always so helpless…" he grins, and his fangs appear, lengthening to dangerous spikes.

"No, no!" You gasp, "You did not give me all the information!"

"Nonsense!" He growls, forcing your back into a perfect arch. You feel your spine crackling in this shape and you scream. "Relax and it won't hurt so much," he suggests, flicking your hair away from his victory spot. "I can make it painless," he says softly, pulling you closer to his fangs, "Relax and it will be painless…"

"I will never be yours!" You scream, lifting a foot to kick him square in the stomach. He falters slightly, allowing you a brief moment to get a handle on the floor and wrench away. You run but he pins you to the nearest pillar. He snarls at you.

"Fine then! Resist! It will make you stronger… and your desire to kill will be fervent," he grins satanically and clutches your body to him, with the strength of a thousand men. It feels like he is crushing you to death. You gasp, the pain vibrating through you, your heart racing a mile a minute. The tears ravage your eyes, burning your vision it seems.

"I refuse to be yours!" You croak, cuddling your neck close to your shoulders so it is unreachable. He looks deep into your eyes and places a firm index finger on your chin. He slowly lifts your head up and pushes it back. His face seems to be transformed into that of a devil. The greed and lust show plainly on his features, making him even uglier. But his eyes begin to trick you into believing he is not such a monster.

"Forever…" He whispers, moving in, "Forever… it sounds in your veins… it resounds in your heart… embrace it, Mira. Become one in my darkness and share my burdens…" He seems so caught up in the sound of your heart beat that he moves very slowly to perform his action, almost as if he is reluctant to hear that sound dying. You breathe heavily, your chest rising and falling against his firm hold.

"God help me…" You mutter, "God help me…"

The fangs of Vladislaus Dracula pierce your neck and you scream as he drinks the blood slowly. He does not gash your neck in uncontrolled passion, but rather, savors every moment, completely enraptured.

It seems to you, that this could be the end of every mortal life you have led…

**_Quick A/N: Yeah, I know, that was evil. Stay tuned for more. _**

**_GF_**


	26. Unresolved Escape

**Chapter Twenty Six: Unresolved Escape**

Suddenly, the Count is thrown from you violently as Van Helsing in werewolf form, grips Dracula's shoulders. Dracula lets out a surprised gasp and then quickly flies upward. Van Helsing follows, climbing deftly up the pillars.

You let out a gasping breath and fall to the floor. Vladimir rushes to your side, Carl not far behind. "Oh, God…" He murmurs, putting a cloth on your neck to stabilize the blood flow. "I told you not to go…" He whispers, almost crying, "I told you not to go…"

"Vladimir…" Carl says. You can only see their forms through blurry eyesight. Your consciousness is fading fast.

"What is it, Carl?" Vladimir asks, looking up from beside you. Carl stands with the antidote in hand and he points upward. Suddenly, Van Helsing comes crashing down, dangerously close to the three of you. He growls, standing, and then towers over you. Dracula sweeps downward and a cloud covers the moon. Van Helsing becomes a man again. He runs, hiding behind the pillars. Dracula snarls at Vladimir and then sees Carl. The awful expression fades from his face as he looks intently at Carl. Then, he swiftly walks forward and seizes the antidote from Carl.

"Thank you," Dracula says, before walking back in the direction of Van Helsing. Carl is too awe-struck to respond.

"What are you doing?" Bursts Vladimir, "You let him take the antidote!" Vladimir desperately fires shots at Dracula, but they do not phase him in the least. Carl has no response. He stares off, dazed. "God damn it!" Shouts Vladimir, standing up. The moon becomes visible again.

Dracula makes an agile movement and swings his arm around the pillar, stabbing Van Helsing in werewolf form, injecting the antidote. Then he quickly flies again up to the rafters as Van Helsing stumbles out of the shadows, and shrinks back into man form. He falls to his knees not too far away. Then there is complete silence. The Count swoops downward once more, landing triumphantly upon the floor.

Your senses are slowly returning. Dracula did not have sufficient time to take enough blood to kill you. You are still weak, but you sit up slightly, blinking your surrounding images into clarity.

"After last time, I do not think it was wise of me to be unprepared for such an instance, Van Helsing," says the Count with a smirk, "Now I shall kill you, and take your beloved away as well. My vengeance will finally triumph."

"No!" You yell, half stumbling/half crawling to his feet. You look up at him. "Let him go! It is me you want!" You stand up and remove the cloth. "Now finish what you have started…but let them go…" Greed shines in the Count's eyes as he steps close to you and stares at the wounds on your neck. Van Helsing has recovered now, and he stands, throwing the needle aside.

"Don't you touch her, Count Dracula!" Van Helsing says, "It is I that you want!" The Count, surprised by the double offering, backs up a step in momentary confusion.

"I…" The Count looks positively baffled. Van Helsing smirks. While the Count begins to ponder this, you catch a wink from Van Helsing. He seems to have this all figured out, so you stay silent.

"No, I want both," Dracula finally says, "I will let no one go." He takes you firmly into himself and backs towards the shadows.

"Put her back, Dracula," Van Helsing says, following you.

"I think not, Gabriel," replies Vladislaus, "But take comfort in knowing that the conditions in which I take your beloved will be no less than paradise itself."

"Let's make a deal, Vladislaus," suggests Van Helsing. Carl and Vladimir remain where they were, completely discombobulated.

"I do not make deals!" Says Dracula, "I am through with deals! And I do not compromise, Gabriel!"

"What a shame! My idea of a deal was more so in your favor than in mine!" Says Van Helsing. Dracula continues taking you towards the shadows. You feel like you should be panicking, but you do not.

"Where is my ring, Van Helsing?" Demands Dracula. Van Helsing smiles slowly.

"It is somewhere safe," he replies. You notice that Carl and Vladimir have vanished. Suddenly, the plan makes perfect sense to you now. "Before you take her, Vladislaus…tell me something of my past."

"Another time we shall speak of that!" Hisses Dracula, "Right before your death!"

"Now, Vladislaus," says Van Helsing. He seems terribly calm, and though you know the current plan of action is likely going to work, you are still fidgety. Dracula is silent and suddenly, he releases you, going out onto the floor with Van Helsing.

"Very well, Gabriel. I will give you a little history lesson," says the Count, raising his brows. Suddenly, he strikes Van Helsing. Van Helsing falls back, surprised and dodges another blow from the Count. He leaps behind the pillars, falling out of the Count's sight. You are content to rest for the moment, being quite exhausted. "You remember, of course, Van Helsing, the lovely Adriana Valerious…" The Count strolls in front of the pillars at leisure, glancing occasionally behind them. "Do you remember that you stole her from me too, Van Helsing?" He hisses, glaring into the shadows.

You watch the scene, biting your lip gently. The outcome of this evening worries you greatly and now you are not sure how the whole thing is going to work out.

And then, the ballroom comes to full light yet again. You are Adriana Valerious, held in the strong arms of Count Vladislaus Dracula. Van Helsing approaches you and then swiftly takes you out of Dracula's arms, dancing off with you in a trance. Vladislaus watches, a dark expression upon his face.

"Little did I know that I would spend the next four centuries trying to defeat you…and trying to recover my beloved Adriana," says the Count. The scene fades and all becomes as it was. There is a crack of thunder accompanied by bright lightning and suddenly Van Helsing and Count stand face-to-face in the middle of the hall. You wonder what it is they are seeing because suddenly they begin to fight without actually striking each other, and it seems they fight with swords. You cannot see the swords of course, so it just looks strange to you. They fall out of the flashback and Dracula snarls as Van Helsing retakes his cover in the shadows.

"So you sent me to my grave, so it seemed," states Dracula, "And shortly there-after, I rose from that cold and lonesome grave to take into my company… my three beautiful brides. Oh, you were nothing in the following three centuries. Only until three years ago did you become a threat again…" He suddenly seizes you from your resting place once more. "And that is all I have to say to you, Gabriel," says Dracula, grinning devilishly, "Because, you see, these memories mean nothing to you anymore, for I will shortly destroy you." He strokes your neck softly, numbing it with his cold. You realize now that your previous confidence was completely false; you truly are doomed now.

"Vladislaus, I don't want to go…" You whisper.

"Have you ever gotten a say in these matters, Adriana?" Says Dracula fiercely. You fall silent. "You are my bride! We will have such beautiful children once the laboratory is fully restored. Dr. Frankenstein left wonderful quantities of notes that have been recovered, and my scientists say that life can be given again without the mind of the Doctor at hand. Besides, we have the key to the process. Now, my love…"

"Dracula!" Counters Van Helsing, approaching the two of you, "I will not let you take her away from me! She is my mortal destiny!" At this point, you feel exasperated, and very tired. You blink in exhaustion and feel like falling back into Dracula's arms and sleeping.

"Give your mortal destiny to me now, Van Helsing," grins Dracula, "For she is my immortal destiny, and I will have her."

"She is a fragile, good creature! She does not belong to you, Vladislaus!" Cries Van Helsing, only a short distance away.

"Oh it is only right that I steal such innocence from such beauty… she will be an exotic thing to behold, will she not?" Dracula smiles rather fondly, running his hands along your neck. You gasp slightly, leaning stiffly into him. He strokes your shoulders and you relax into him, delving into the chilling sensation. "That's right, my love… surrender to it…become it…"

"Fight it! Deny it, Mira!" Yells Van Helsing. His voice comes foggy over the Count's commands and you struggle slightly with Dracula's mind, but it seems now that he has pinned you down and you settle peacefully into his arms, allowing an unobstructed path to your neck open.

"Oh, delicate…beautiful woman…" Says Dracula, resting his hand on your cheek. "Be my queen…"

"Fight him, Mira!" Shouts Van Helsing relentlessly. Dracula ignores him rather easily and you don't even hear Van Helsing's voice at this point. You are completely hypnotized and the world seems to swirl and vibrate around you. Suddenly, Van Helsing starts speaking in Latin. His words translate to: "In the name of God, save her soul…in the name of God, I command you, Adriana Valerious, to become alive…in the name of God—"

"—Stop speaking!" Hisses the Count, holding you more protectively than ever. Your eyelids flicker and suddenly, you are not you. Or are you you? You cannot tell who you are at the moment. But the fact is that you are revived, and you must resist the Count. You shove him away with a mighty kick. The Count hisses and gasps. Van Helsing grabs your hand and you are running down the halls, heading towards the gate. Voices rise out of the walls again like they had earlier.

You are so conscious now that the world is nearly in chaos. The front gate is now in sight and you finally become sensible again. Carl and Vladimir have opened the gate and they stand waiting for you.

"We are running!" You realize aloud.

"Yes, and bloody fast too!" Shouts Van Helsing.

"But… we have not defeated him…" You say, bewildered.

"Save it for another day, Mira! We cannot beat our enemy in his own home! We must face him elsewhere!" You reach Carl and Vladimir and run along the narrow pathway towards the portal that will lead back into your castle in Transylvania. "The dawn is fast approaching. He cannot follow us yet so we will have the day to find Sanctuary!" The sun finally sparks slightly on the horizon and relief hits you.

The task is not done, but for a while, you can feel safe. You slow to a walk, realizing that you are no longer in danger.

"Van Helsing…" You sigh weakly, stumbling, "I need…rest…" You fall into his arms. He strokes your face and looks warmly into your eyes.

"I promise I will find the way out of this… we may have failed this time, but we are still alive…slightly scathed, but alive, and we shall not perish until our task is done," promises Van Helsing. You smile as he sweeps you off the ground, reaching the portal. "And sleep a bit, Mira…while you can."

He does not have to speak twice; you are unconscious almost immediately.


	27. A Hasty Evacuation

Chapter Twenty Seven: A Hasty Evacuation 

When you wake again, you are back home resting peacefully. You are drowsy at first but everything is clear in a few minutes. The tapestries on the wall have not moved, and everything seems to still be in place from the last moment that you left it. Then you remember the state of things. You quickly get up and exit your room. Van Helsing happens to be passing by with a book when you enter the corridor. He looks up at you from the book and smiles. He is changed back into his leather trench coat and hat, and looking quite dashing as usual.

"How are you feeling, Mira?" He asks, stopping.

"Better," you reply. The hall is dimly lit with the light of the rising sun. It must still be morning.

"Listen, Mira. There's something I meant to tell you," says Van Helsing, shifting kind of nervously.

"Yes?" You ask, looking at him attentively. As he begins to speak, Vladimir comes around the corner.

"Hey, she's up!" Vladimir says smiling. He kisses your hand. "And how are you feeling?"

"Better," you answer again. Van Helsing shifts his eyes between the two of you as if he is trying to draw a connection.

"We should evacuate the city," says Van Helsing, "Get everyone to the Courts of Andume, where they'll be safe."

"And then what?" You ask, looking back at him sternly. Van Helsing sighs.

"You always want the answer now!" Exclaims Van Helsing. He is clearly frustrated with your nature.

"Well…I have to look ahead," you say, "It is the future of my people that will be determined by our actions and inevitably, the whole world." Van Helsing sighs again.

"Look, Mira. If we stay in a safe place, we will be all right. Then we can think about set plans," Van Helsing says.

"Have you given any thought to provisions or accommodations? The potential length of staying time? How about the dangers in getting there and back?" At this point, you are growing angry with him. He assumes too much, and does not seem to understand how many factors must be investigated before one can evacuate a city.

"Calm down, Mira," Vladimir says, "He does not know of the responsibility involved."

"Damn you, Vladimir!" Yells Van Helsing, shoving the book in Vladimir's face. "Look at this, and look bloody well!" Vladimir takes the book and holds it under the torchlight. He reads and his face darkens immensely. After a minute, he slams it shut, handing it to Van Helsing. He grabs your hand.

"We are evacuating, now," he says firmly. Van Helsing follows.

"You see, Vladimir?" Asks Van Helsing. You are practically being dragged down the hall.

"Yes, we will make further plans in the courts," states Vladimir.

"Why?" You demand, "I wish to know why!"

"One must not know the entirety of their destiny," states Van Helsing. You meet up with Carl in the front foyer.

"All of the guards were moved to Dracula's fortress," says Carl. Father Delavego enters the room. He looks at you earnestly.

"Mira, my child…had I known you were in such grave danger, I would have sent you to Rome ages ago," says the priest, looking at you rather morbidly. You look at all of their faces, confused.

"I am afraid I do not understand," you say finally.

"And may you never understand this terribly fate, Mira," says Father Delavego.

"What terrible fate? I cannot stand to be left in the darkness!" You cry, visibly distressed.

"Order an evacuation," says Van Helsing, "Mira and I will ready our horses." He takes your hand and pulls you out to the stables. The air is freezing and you shiver, looking at the gray sky. The rain from a couple of nights ago has iced over the snow in a shiny glaze, but the sun is not shining bright enough to create a glare. Once you reach the stables, you touch Van Helsing's shoulder.

"You must tell me, Gabriel," you persist, looking into his eyes.

"Mira…" He sighs, "I would never wish to conceal knowledge from you…" He taps the book, "But these words were never meant to exist."

"Let me read them," you plead. He lowers the book to your hands but hesitates to give it to you. Then he snatches it away.

"No, Mira. I cannot," he says softly, moving into the barn. He slips the book into his bag and begins to ready his horse. You sigh deeply and then move on to your horse. The stable is dark and dusty. Yet there is a sense of hominess to it; it feels lived in.

"You wanted to tell me something else earlier, Gabriel…what was it?" You ask. He does not look up from his work.

"It is unimportant," he says, loading his saddlebags. You are silent as you tighten the straps.

"Van Helsing…do you love me?" You find yourself asking. He stops, his back to you. He does not answer. "Do you?" You repeat, "Because I swear if you do not, I will surrender myself."

"No, you won't," he says.

"Just watch me, Gabriel. It would do more good than you think. It would relieve my pain to belong to him," you counter, your gaze falling on him steadily. He turns to look at you.

"What compels you to speak this way?" He demands, "Are you guilty, Mira?"

"What could I possibly be guilty about?" You ask, glaring at him.

"Vladimir," he says simply. Your glare fades and you turn back to your horse. You do not know what to say. Vladimir, of course! But it had not occurred to you that Van Helsing would know about the kiss. It meant nothing to you, but would he believe you if you said so?

"Do you trust me, Van Helsing?" You ask, still not looking at him.

"What have I left to trust, Mira? I gave you Dracula's ring: my one memory and my one triumph. I want it back," replies Van Helsing. You can feel his eyes upon you. You take a deep breath.

"I know you think I have been unfaithful, Gabriel, but the facts are not set in the manner you believe them to be. I feel nothing for Vladimir. You do not seem to understand that from the moment I met you, I have thought of no one else in the matters of love," you explain. You turn around to look at him. He regards you intently. "I love you, Gabriel, if that is worth anything to you. If it is not mutual, I do truly believe I would be better off in the hands of a monster. And if you want Dracula's ring back, by all means take it." His eyes soften slightly, but he still frowns. He then sighs, taking off his hat and sitting on a stool. You crouch on the ground in front of him, looking up at him earnestly. He looks into your eyes and then looks away, sighing again.

"I would die for you, Mira," he finally says. He puts his hat back on and smiles softly at you, "And I love thee beyond words." You smile as he pulls you into his lap, taking your lips in his gently before converging them in a sacred but fiery passion. Then you both sigh, just sitting there for a moment. "An idea has been forming in my head, Mira…" Van Helsing says finally.

"What?" You ask, looking at him.

"It is probably a silly idea…but what would happen if we coated our swords with werewolf venom?" He asks suggestively. You raise a brow and ponder this.

"It seems almost…"

"Too simple, I know…but maybe it would work," Van Helsing says, "Maybe that's the way we need to be thinking."

"We might as well try it," you say, "It could be our best course of action."

"We better go then," Van Helsing says. You get off of him and he gets up too, leaning in for a lingering kiss again. Then you lead your horses out.

You meet Vladimir and Carl in the street.

"Where is Father Delavego?" You ask.

"Praying," Carl says.

"Some of the townspeople have offered to organize provisions," says Vladimir, "And some of the soldiers are organizing the route. We will be out of here by noon at the latest."

"Good, that's just enough time to get there before dusk," says Van Helsing. Looking at Gabriel makes you think things you never would think. He acts like a King at times, and lives as a sort of rugged vagabond. It is fascinating, and just makes you wonder. Father Delavego exits the church, his leather bag at hand, interrupting your thoughts.

"All is ready?" The priest inquires. You all nod in accord. "Good then. Let us assemble at the gate." You lead your horses to the gate. A few soldiers ride in from their travels.

"The way is clear, Father," states one of them. Father Delavego nods, looking around the town.

"What sorrows…" He mutters. People are slowly gathering at the gate wearily. They seem shocked to see you, and give you incredulous glances.

"You're alive!" Someone exclaims, nearly dropping her things.

"Of course," you say, looking slightly confused, "I cannot abandon my people without leaving them in safety somehow."

"God bless you, my Lady!" She bows and goes to speak with her fellow townspeople. You sigh and look at Van Helsing.

"I think we are due for another storm," you predict, looking at the rolling gray clouds on the western horizon. They loom upon the mountains, menacing. It is simply bad luck that you are riding towards the storm. Van Helsing fixes his eyes on the sky, watching as if mystified.

"None of our plans have worked very well," he comments, smiling wryly.

"Something has to go right soon," you respond, "God must have a way of winning."

"One can hope," he replies, "One can hope…"

Before noon, all of the townspeople are assembled and ready to evacuate the city. They are even becoming slightly restless standing around.

"You should say a few words," suggests Van Helsing, looking at you. With a sigh, you ride up to the gate, slipping into some kind of 'leader mode.'

"Good afternoon," you greet. A repeated murmur rolls through the crowd and then dies rather pitifully. They all look slightly frightened. "I am sorry that it has come to this, my friends, but I ask that you do not be afraid. The Courts of Andume may seem a mysterious place to you, but I assure you, it is a holy place that will shelter you from the Count's evil. Now, let us depart from this city and pray that we will soon return to live in peace." You start off ahead, accompanied by Van Helsing, Vladimir, Carl, and Father Delavego.

"Hopefully we will be there before dusk," says Van Helsing. Then he lowers his voice to you. "We have some werewolves to hunt this evening," he says.

"The full moon has passed, hasn't it?" You ask, looking at him.

"These werewolves do not only appear on the full moon. They appear whenever prey can be found," says Van Helsing gravely. His expression is dark. You cross yourself and say a silent prayer.

"The storm will hit in an hour," calculates Vladimir, "I hope that it does not impede our progress."

The Courts of Andume look to be about a thousand miles away, but for once in these past days, your plan seems to work. The snowstorm does not hit full blast until everyone is safe within the Courts of Andume. You and your four companions set up your quarters in the main hall. You use tents because there may be roof or wall problems (gusts, water, snow…) at any time. You and Van Helsing end up sharing a tent, Carl gets his own (he's a bit picky), and Vladimir and Father Delavego room together. Father Delavego seems a bit reluctant, but he does not express it verbally.

"I suggest you get some sleep," suggests Van Helsing, as he continues to set up things in your temporary home. You snuggle up in your cot, looking at him.

"What about you?" You ask.

"Oh I sleep on occasion," he states, continuing his work. You chuckle. "I'll wake you up when we need to leave, don't worry," he says.

"Gabriel?" You ask. He turns and looks at you. You smile as he comes to your side and takes your hand, kissing it.

"Mira…you're a beautiful woman…" He says softly, looking deeply into your eyes. You smile still, touching his chin affectionately. He seems entranced by your eyes.

"What do you see, Gabriel?" You ask, not moving.

"I see…" He pauses and seems to get lost again.

"Gabriel?"

He leans forth slowly and kisses you deeply, eventually drawing you up close to him, searching your soul, delving into your depths. He stops then, placing you back soundly in your cot. You stare at him, moved and intrigued. "I saw God. I sense God in you," he finally says, without a single tone of doubtfulness. "Now get some rest, Mira. You will need it."

You find yourself eventually drifting off into a restless sleep. You have werewolves to find, a vampire to kill, and a storm to battle. But any sleep is good in this instance, right?


	28. Hunted Hunters

A/N: This is one of the more graphic chapters, just to give a heads up, but I tried to keep it to an absolute minimum. Enjoy. :-)

Chapter Twenty Eight: Hunted Hunters 

In the middle of the night, Van Helsing shakes you awake. You open your eyes drowsily to look at him. He is dressed in traveling attire, and heavily armed with weapons.

"Time to go," he says. You roll over tiredly, closing your eyes with a mild grumble.

"Not yet…" You murmur.

"Come on," Van Helsing says, gently pulling you out of the cot. He stands you on your feet and helps you into your coat. You are moving half-asleep and are not awake until you sneak out the door into the courtyard. The snow has slowed up, but there is a thick blanket of about seven inches covering the ground. A few flakes fall sparsely around you, dusting your hair and lashes. Van Helsing brings you your horse. It is of course, only your nature that you would be grumpy now.

"Should we really be doing this?" You ask tiredly, stifling a yawn as he hands you the reins.

"You are the best warrior of the company," he answers, mounting his horse. You yawn.

"Yes, of course. It has absolutely nothing to do with leaving me in the care of Vladimir," you say sarcastically. Van Helsing sighs.

"No time for this raillery, Mira," he states. You mount your horse.

"If you gave me the real reason, I might believe you," you mutter. He does not answer or acknowledge your comment. He is clearly annoyed, however. You slowly start through the arches, entering the unsafe and cursed premises. It takes a while for you to realize that this has to be one of the worst situations you have been in yet. Van Helsing seems so comfortable with it that you question where his allegiance truly lies.

When you enter the deep snow-covered valley, you feel a thousand eyes upon you. You look at Van Helsing nervously when you sense this, and then look around. But nothing moves in the shadows, or anywhere else. Van Helsing is riding slowly, taking a glance around the entire area before he dares to go any faster. Other than that, he seems very relaxed, and almost cheerful about your little night expedition. His crossbow is at hand, and he now looks intently upon the sloping pathway to the forest.

"Is that where we're going?" You find yourself asking. He just nods and picks up the pace slightly. The horses are struggling with the deep snow, and they make loud crunching noises as they go along.

As you ascend the mountain pathway, you become keenly aware of the presence of Dracula. He is not very near yet, but you have a dreadful feeling he is coming. "Gabriel, send me back," you whisper quietly. He whirls and faces you.

"What?" He asks.

"I can sense him. He's coming," you explain.

"Are you certain, Mira?" He asks gently, "I thought you could not know where he was…"

"I don't know exactly where he is, but I know when he's coming!" You say, your voice getting a bit louder.

"Sh…" Van Helsing says, holding a finger to his lips. "Okay, okay! We will get you back…" Suddenly, there is a deep growl from the shadows, and a creature shifts on its legs, preparing to pounce. Your eyes grow wide with fear as you see an enormous werewolf crouched just 25 yards ahead. Even Van Helsing looks a bit surprised. He recovers quickly however and pulls out his crossbow very slowly, so as not to cause the beast to attack. "Back me up, Mira," Van Helsing says, taking aim. You nod, taking out your pistol rather shakily. The horses do not react as much as they have in the past. They seem to be accustomed to these situations now.

The pause seems to linger on forever.

Finally, Van Helsing shoots several silver bullets. They fail to impede the creature however and it leaps high overhead, taking Van Helsing off of the horse and rolling off to the side with him. Desperately, you take a few shots at the thing, but your efforts are useless. Van Helsing must win this battle himself. To your horror, you hear another growl and whirl around to face yet another werewolf. Shocked, you cannot even react to it. You just sit there in amazement, staring at the menacing teeth and the murderous eyes.

Suddenly, it lets out a pitiful cry and when you look down, a silver stake is protruding from its stomach. It groans and flips over, taking a helpless swipe at its attacker. Then you hear the silver stake thrust through the beast's heart, and it collapses, turning into a human once more. You look up, half expecting Vladimir or Carl to be there, but, to your double horror, there stands Vladislaus Dracula. He is looking down solemnly at the dead man by his feet. Then he slowly lifts his gaze to you, and smiles.

You think it is quite possible you are going to either faint, or have a heart attack. You hear the triumphant sound of a stake impaling Van Helsing's werewolf, and he stands up with a gasp. You do not look at him however. You are just staring, shocked, at Dracula.

Van Helsing finally seems to notice this and runs over instantly. He puts up his sword in front of you, blocking Dracula's easy access. "Mira, snap out of it," he scolds, hitting you lightly on the shoulder. You finally come to, but you feel as if you are going to go into an all-out panic. "What do you want, Vladislaus?" Van Helsing asks, narrowing his eyes at him, still breathless. Dracula smiles at him, and folds his hands, flinging the silver stake away.

"Gabriel, you do recall the last time we were in this situation together, do you not?" Asks Dracula, good-naturedly.

"Stop dwelling on the past!" Exclaims Van Helsing, "Is it supposed to be our civil duty to ruin each other's lives, over and over, again and again?"

"You had her in the last life. Now, it is my turn," says Dracula darkly, his eyes beginning to burn.

"Not forever, Vladislaus! Why don't you just go back to hell already?" Demands Van Helsing.

"She is my bride, Gabriel!" Says Dracula, a bit of an angry edge to his tone. "You know what is written in the book! It was signed in blood!"

"No!" Says Van Helsing, walking towards Dracula. Dracula is not looking at Van Helsing's face, however. He is looking at his shoulder.

"I see you have been bitten again," comments the Count, "Third time's a charm; is that your philosophy?"

"I did not mean to get bitten this time! I had other plans in mind," states Van Helsing dryly.

"But the book, you know, Gabriel…" Starts Dracula.

"To hell with the book!" Yells Van Helsing. He rips the book out of his bag and throws it across the snow, "That's what I think about that God-damned book!" Dracula watches the book for a moment and then slowly turns, his face completely dark now.

"She signed that book," he says, beginning to tremble as he raises an accusing finger, "She signed that book, with her own blood!" His voice echoes fiercely throughout the woods as he drops his finger and trembles. His eyes burn fiercely like sacrilegious torches before he recomposes.

"But it is not her anymore! She is not Adriana anymore!" Cries Van Helsing. You are completely overwhelmed by this discussion. Furious, Dracula goes and picks up the book. He brushes past Van Helsing and shoves it into your hands. Van Helsing moves in to pull it away, but Dracula pushes him back into the snow with ease.

"Go on and read it, my love. Go on and find the forgotten text. I am so glad that it has been found," says Dracula smoothly.

"You wretch!" Van Helsing screams, "Mira, throw it out! Cast it away! Let it rot, let it burn!" He pleads.

"Silence, you fool!" Dracula hisses. He turns back to you gently and nods, indicating you should read. Slowly, and untrustingly, you open the book and glance over the words. You nearly pass out when your mind suddenly starts taking in swells of memories. Every page turns in your head like a nightmarish gale. You recall every word; every pact you made with Vladislaus Dracula. But that was Adriana, not you. The book falls from your hands, crunching into the snow below. Your heart rate has increased, as well as your breathing. Dracula stares at you unchangingly, smirking. "You remember, don't you?" He asks, almost in a mocking tone.

You take deep breaths and finally look at him. He picks up the book and opens to the page where Adriana Valerious signed her name. As he traces his finger along the curves of her signature menacingly, you can feel his nails cutting into your arm again. You scream, grabbing your arm. But there is no cut there. The flashback hits you full force like a storm, but it continues to hit you again and again, as if it is trying to weaken you.

"Leave her alone, Vladislaus!" Yells Van Helsing. He grabs Dracula forcefully but Dracula just throws him back calmly.

"Even if I left her alone, Gabriel… she would be haunted by me still. She would remember me for all eternity. You would never have peace," says Dracula deeply, "So end the pain now, my darling." The prospect is so tempting to you, yet again, but with Van Helsing there, it is somewhat easier to resist.

"I would rather live with the memory of you," you state blankly, looking at him with intensely burning eyes.

"My dear… what fun would that be?" He says, a smile alighting on his lips. You narrow your eyes at him. But you slowly begin to realize that somehow, you must keep these vows that you made over four hundred years ago. You realize also, that you must do something to save Van Helsing.

"I will make a deal with you, Vladislaus," you begin.

"No! No deals!" Cries Van Helsing, stumbling up from the snow and trying to force Dracula away again. He fails.

"I'm listening," Dracula says.

"Bring me more of the antidote, and I will go with you," you say. Van Helsing freaks. His words are incoherent and inaudible however. Dracula silences him.

"Is that all, Mira?" Asks Dracula, a daring expression crossing his face. You look at his cunning eyes and feel your soul collapse again.

"That can't be all," you say. At this, you dismount your horse so you are eye level with him. "Look Vladislaus…" You extend your hand slightly and sigh, dropping it. You look down for a moment and then you look at him. You talk low. "You know what I'm afraid of…" He nods, his eyes gleaming. He leans in towards you, rather curiously. "I don't want to feel it leaving me…" You whisper. You shiver slightly. He instinctively touches your shoulder, but then draws away realizing he will only make you colder.

"My dear…" he whispers back, "You will feel nothing…" You can almost hear compassion in his voice.

"Mira! Don't do it! Can't you see he's the devil?" Cries Van Helsing desperately. You look at Van Helsing, tears in your eyes.

"Gabriel…I made a deal. I cannot back out," you say.

"Kill me, Dracula!" Demands Van Helsing, "Kill me and let her go." Dracula turns to face him slowly, grinning widely.

"Why Gabriel, I thought you would never offer such a glorious task!" He says, delighted.

"Vladislaus…" You say, calling his attention back to you. You throw yourself into his arms forcefully, looking into his eyes. "Your quarrels lie in me, not in Van Helsing…" The Count's gaze flits between the two of you, and finally rests on you.

"I cannot refuse the invitation…" He whispers, mouthing your neck. You pull away.

"But first! The antidote!" You say. He seems flustered and then nods respectfully.

"I will bring it to you tomorrow night…" He states.

"Why so much later?" You ask, looking at him still.

"My troops have just come in from Budapest," he says, a menacing gleam lighting in his eyes. You take a step back, frightened. "Till tomorrow evening, my love," he says. With a sweep of his cape, he vanishes. Van Helsing glares at you and then breaks down in tears.

"How could you, Mira!?" He cries, "How could you…!"

"I made a pact," you say simply. You pause, looking down at the two dead bodies, "You have the vials, Gabriel?" He nods tearfully and then sets to work, filling the containers with werewolf venom. You do not watch, for it is rather…disturbing. You sigh looking out over the woods. What compelled you to make that deal with Dracula? Perhaps you may never know…


	29. The Ultimate Proposal

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Ultimate Proposal**

"Don't you ever do that again!" Vladimir scolds, pointing his finger at you, "Now you have made a pact with the devil!"

"…Van Helsing never hesitated to bargain with Dracula," you defend softly. But it seems to have no effect. Father Delavego is pacing restlessly.

"Look at it this way, at least we know he is mobilizing troops from Budapest," says Van Helsing.

"And what good does that do us!?" Fumes Vladimir. It is still night, but dawn will be rising in three hours. "We cannot escape an army in the sole period of the day! The Courts of Andume are going to be attacked unless Dracula is destroyed!"

"What were you doing out there anyway?" Asks Carl, a bit more practically. You exchange a glance with Van Helsing. Van Helsing takes out the vials and places them on the floor. Everyone just stares at them.

"What's this?" Asks Vladimir.

"Werewolf venom," says Van Helsing.

"And, what good is that?" Demands Vladimir.

"We coat our weapons with it, and kill Dracula," explains Van Helsing.

"You're daft," remarks Vladimir, walking away.

"That's ingenious!" States Carl. Vladimir glances at him incredulously. "He will never see it coming!"

"What makes you think it will work?" Asks Vladimir dryly.

"Well, everyone knows that it's the werewolf venom that kills Dracula, not just the wolf's bite," says Carl matter-of-factly. "It's practically fool-proof. I don't know why no one thought of it before."

"Because no one thinks that way. It's far too simple," you answer, nodding.

"Ingenious…" mutters Carl, "Wish I had thought of it…" Father Delavego starts muttering to himself as he paces.

"Father?" You inquire, looking at him. He looks up and stops pacing.

"Oh, Mira, my child…" He says, walking over to you, "How on earth will we defeat an entire army?"

"They're not necessarily coming to the Courts," you say.

"Yes they are," says Vladimir, "I tell you, we can count on it."

"What if we set up an entire façade?" You ask, "Defeat his lies with more lies?"

"What do you mean?" Vladimir asks, looking at you. You shrug.

"Well, it would take intense planning, but it could work…I was thinking something similar to the Trojan horse strategy," you answer.

"Your plans don't work very well," states Vladimir.

"No one's plans have worked," you counter, glaring at him, "I am just offering my suggestions. Not to mention, I should have power now. It is my city." You look around at everyone. "And I don't think anyone else has any ideas…"

"Speak, Mira," says Van Helsing finally, "Tell us your ideas." Vladimir rolls his eyes and starts pacing. Father Delavego stands nearby listening, and Carl is sitting on a stool, twirling a silver stake around his hands. He curses when he accidentally grazes his fingers with the tip. Then looks up, realizing everyone is looking at him. He smiles and says nothing.

"We equip the townspeople with weapons," you begin, "And then we all surrender ourselves when the army comes. That way, no one is harmed. We re-enter the city. I resist the Count's seduction once more and play weak; I've become good at that. During the day, I find the antidote, find Van Helsing, and inject him with it. We get our swords, coat them with the werewolf venom, and then depart once more. I return to my room, and when the Count returns, I kill him. Carl, you take the light device and activate it in the middle of the town. That will kill off any of the vampire members of the army. Then I do what I must with the Count's body, and all is well."

"Too many things can go wrong with that plan," says Vladimir immediately.

"It just needs some revisions," defends Van Helsing, "Mira, isn't Dracula bringing you the antidote?"

"Do you truly believe he will bring it?" You ask, looking at him uncertainly.

"I do not think he could try to deceive you in that way," Van Helsing says, "It is one simple request, and I do not think he would want me to be a werewolf anyway."

"He does have a point," says Carl. He is playing with the silver stake again.

"Okay, so that will be our back-up plan… but what will our plan of action be?" You ask.

"First of all, where are we going to get enough weapons for all of the town?" Asks Van Helsing, "Are they magically going to appear?"

"There is still a weaponry hall in this fortress," states Father Delavego. "It is hard to get to, but it can still be reached under safe circumstances."

"Will there be enough weapons for the entire town?" Inquires Van Helsing.

"It once held enough weapons to equip seven hundred thousand men," replies Father Delavego.

"Impossible!" Exclaims Van Helsing.

"Not impossible. I do not believe the weapons have been moved," says the priest, with a faithful nod.

"Well that problem is solved then," says Van Helsing, "Mira… you must be certain to retrieve the antidote and get it away from Dracula before he tries to take you."

"Then I will kill him," you say.

"And Carl will activate the light device," concludes Van Helsing, "Oh, my! I think it shall work!" He seems very excited. You are nearly ecstatic, but it fades.

"Don't get your hopes up," you say quickly.

"Right…" He answers, looking a bit sheepish.

"Let us not waste another minute then!" Exclaims Carl, leaping to his feet. He nearly drops the silver stake.

"Lead us, Father Delavego," you say, standing proudly. Father Delavego nods, walking towards the back of the hall. So the five of you descend down a stairwell that looks as if it has not been used in centuries. Father Delavego has a torch with him, and he lights the torches in the stairwell on his way down. Finally, you enter a vast hall with enormous, high, stained glass windows. Father Delavego busies himself with lighting the room, since no light is provided outside yet. You are amazed at the expanse of weaponry before you. They are all heavily laden with dust.

You pick up a near-by sword and blow the dust off. It reveals a sharp edge in dull silver. The weapons have obviously not been disturbed for quite a while. Van Helsing is equally amazed. He picks up a mace and swings it around. He seems satisfied with it. Vladimir does not touch a thing. He seems a little un-nerved at the weapons hall.

"We will bring the people down here at dawn," you surmise, "And then we will briefly instruct them in how to properly kill a vampire if attacked by one."

"Good. Well, we should try to get some sleep before we do so," expresses Van Helsing.

"Since when do you sleep, Gabriel?" You ask, grinning.

"Since I suddenly am overcome by the lack of it," he replies. You notice finally that yes, he does look very tired.

"The dawn should properly illuminate this room," says Father Delavego. He looks around and then turns back to you. "Carl, Vladimir, and myself have slept enough. We will ready the room and meet you upstairs at dawn." Vladimir looks as if he is about to protest, but he says nothing. He just glares at you.

"Very well," says Van Helsing, "Shall we?" He looks at you and offers his arm. You smile, taking his arm.

"See you at dawn, Father," you say.

"Sleep well, child," Father Delavego says. You and Van Helsing ascend the stairs. When you reach the top, he just cannot help himself. He nearly smothers you in an affectionate kiss. You giggle slightly and let him carry you into the tent.

"Vladimir was giving you a rather evil look down there," grins Van Helsing, placing you in your cot and 'accidentally' toppling on top of you. You laugh.

"That's just Vladimir," you say, "He's like that."

"Yes, well, hm…" Van Helsing looks around and then kisses you again.

"We should be sleeping," you whisper.

"We should be," he whispers back, looking into your eyes. His face takes on a certain seductive softness. You blink at him.

"No, Gabriel," you respond immediately.

"Right," he replies gently, kissing you again, his hands seeking your shoulders in tender ardor. You take his hands in yours and then bring them to your lips, placing a kiss on them.

"Till death do we part," you whisper. He sighs, getting up and moving over to his cot. He lays down, looking at you still. Then he blows you a kiss.

"Till death do we part," he repeats. You smile, turning over and falling asleep, his kisses still warm upon your lips like sacred ghosts.

A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know what you were thinking in that last scene…so sorry to disappoint you. :: Grins evilly ::


	30. Of the Unexpected

**Chapter Thirty: Of the Unexpected**

You are not certain that you will wake at dawn, but surprisingly you do. Gabriel is already up and buckling on his leather garments. He smiles in the soft glow of the sun's rays that shine through the windows of the hall and into the tent.

"Good morning, Mira," he says, belting his sword at his waist.

"Morning," you mutter tiredly. But you force yourself out of the cot. There is little you can do for your appearance, and you fear you may look like a zombie. You shrug, not really caring at this point. You do not feel like impressing anyone; it has caused too many problems already. You simply strap on your sword, sheath your boot daggers, and adjust your boots.

You hear the sound of Carl's voice approaching. They must be returning from the weapons room. He is explaining some absurd scientific process to Vladimir. Vladimir must be getting annoyed, you think. You exit the tent before Van Helsing. You like this fortress much better in daylight. It seems almost friendly.

"Is everything ready down there?" You ask Carl, as he approaches.

"Yes, Mira. Time to inform the people… or, the early risers at least," replies Carl.

"I don't think anyone slept last night," you say, shaking your head as you walk out of the hall into the sunlight. You stroll across the courtyard to the opposite halls. When you enter, you notice that the halls are packed and the people look gloomy. Their morale must be very low. The food merchants are dusting off some shelves and setting up items so that they can give everyone an equal amount of nourishment. What little conversation you could hear, dies down and everyone looks at you. "Good morning," you greet, with a nod, "I… I fear I have a bad announcement. But do not be too alarmed. We have it all figured out." The whispers begin again and the nervousness builds quickly within the room. You silence them with your hand. "Dracula's forces from Budapest are likely going to attack this evening," you state. There is a general uproar. You talk over it. "Now listen to me! After breakfast, you are to head over to the main hall, and we will direct you to the weapons room. There we will outfit you with appropriate devices and give you a brief lesson on killing vampires." The people start talking loudly now, amongst themselves. You sigh and leave the room. They do not need any more information than that at the moment. It is not nice news to wake up to, after all.

You cross the courtyard again and enter the main hall, where Van Helsing is cooking something over a fire in the fireplace. "Did you tell them?" He asks. You nod, taking a seat next to him at the fire. "And?"

"Oh, there was an uproar," you say, nodding again. You are joined, momentarily, by Father Delavego, Carl, and Vladimir. Van Helsing serves breakfast and then turns to you.

"I want to coat the swords now," he says. You raise a brow.

"…Ok," you say. He takes out the vials of werewolf venom, and a piece of cloth.

"You have to coat it quick because it dries fast," states Van Helsing. You take out your blades and lay them out. He hands you the cloth and opens the vial, pouring some venom onto the cloth. Quickly, you rub it all over your sword. He gives you some more, and you coat your daggers as well. Then he takes it and coats his weapons. That uses one of the three vials. You suddenly notice the horrid stench and nearly keel over when you smell it.

"Ack!" You grimace, sheathing your weapons and standing up, "I need some air!" Van Helsing laughs slightly as you walk out the door and out to the archway. You look over the snow-covered valley and see your horse-tracks from your night escapade. The mountains are very beautiful in their snow-covered vastness. Today the sky is crystal clear. The night blizzard was merely an intense squall, apparently.

Suddenly, you hear the sound of hoof beats, and look up just in time to see a rider coming towards you. You are about to say something when you are swept up onto the horse. You scream (rather belatedly) as the rider charges down the valley in the direction of the town. You struggle against him but find that he is far too strong for you to escape. This must be a nightmare; it just has to be a nightmare…

But the Courts of Andume are fast vanishing behind you, and the town is coming into view. Within a few hours, it grows from a dot to a life-size town. You ride captive through the gates and they shut behind you with a menacing finality. Looking around, you see Dracula's troops have arrived and have made themselves at home… or so you guess. You cannot see any of them, but their wagons and horses are all over the place. The rider is taking you straight to your castle…or rather, Dracula's castle. It is afternoon now, and you are dead exhausted. The rider, without a word, removes your rather limp form from the horse, and takes you to one of the lower rooms of the castle. This one is better furnished, and seems to have more nooks and crannies to it. He places you on the bed, and leaves, shutting the door. You hear it lock.

Desperately, you leap up out of the bed and go to the door, jerking the handle. You sigh, finally, leaning against the door.

"Please don't come for me, Gabriel…" You whisper. Yet part of you wishes he would. You can only hope that everything will still work out in the end.

After sitting for an hour or two on the bed, you hear the sound of horses at the gate, and a great thud. You jump up and run to the window. Looking out past the gate, you can see that the entire town is trying to break it down and get in. The few mortal guards on duty are running around the walls, looking quite flabbergasted. They are bracing the door from the inside with all available equipment. But it only holds up so long against three thousand angry townspeople. It breaks, much to the discombobulated guards' dismays. Gabriel charges in, basically killing any guard he sees. Then he looks around wildly. You fling open the windows.

"I'm up here, Gabriel!" You scream. He looks up.

"Mira! I'm coming!" He yells back. He dismounts his horse and runs through the general chaos of the town, disappearing beneath you. The door of your room swings wide open and the rider from earlier stands there.

"Come, now," the rider demands, walking towards you. With a screech, you run around the bed, able to steer clear of him. He still gets you cornered somehow. You brace yourself for the worst (not even able to think about drawing your own sword). Suddenly, you hear a clang and the rider falls away dead. Van Helsing pulls his sword out of the guard and looks at you.

"I think we've all learned a lesson from that," he says, exasperated. He grasps you with his free arm and you sprint out of the room. By the time you reach the street, the townspeople have assembled at the square and await you. They cheer when you approach with Van Helsing. "Now that we have our leader back," states Van Helsing, "What do you want to do?" The people fall silent. Vladimir, Carl, and Father Delavego are right in front of you.

"Kill vampires!" One of them shouts. Everyone cheers in accordance. Van Helsing looks at you.

"Well?" He asks, raising a brow.

"Nightfall is not for a few hours," you say. Van Helsing nods, thinking about this.

"I should like to see that gold plate in the tower!" Finally says Carl.

"And I!" Adds Father Delavego.

"Then let's go!" Says Carl. He and Father Delavego walk off to the castle. You shake your head.

"Well, there will be no vampires to kill until nightfall, so what say you to a lunch break?" Van Helsing suggests to the crowd. They cheer once again and settle out.

"How did you restore their morale so well?" You ask aside, looking at him.

"I did nothing," Van Helsing states, "I simply led them in the quest to retrieve you. They picked up weapons as soon as you were kidnapped and once I announced you had been kidnapped, they all decided unanimously that they wanted to go and save you from the clutches of evil. So, here we are." You blink and shake your head. "Your people love you, Mira. They would do almost anything for you."

"I feel unworthy," you mutter, sitting down and looking around the town. "What are we going to do, Van Helsing? Dracula is going to be enraged when he awakes."

"That is be expected," consoles Van Helsing, "But we will send him back to the fiery depths of hell." You are both looking at Dracula's ring, which remains unmoved from your finger. After the moment of silence, you follow his eyes and see that he is still looking at the ring.

"You want it back?" You ask. Van Helsing looks you in the eyes.

"No, I do not want it back. It represents all I do not know and all I hate. I could think of no one better to bear the burden for me than you, Mira. For you do not know how much it pained me to wear it…" Explains Van Helsing.

"Pain?" You inquire, "But you were left with it, were you not?" He regards you intently. "It was your trophy."

"It was the trophy of an angry heart," he says dryly, "It is worthless to me, and worth everything at the same time…it is best that I do not carry it at this moment. When this is over, I will take my burden back from you." You nod, looking out over the people.

"Amazing…" You state, "Simply amazing."

"What's amazing?" Asks Van Helsing.

"How long this can go on with bare effects on Dracula," you say, looking far off.

"He is a hollow form," says Van Helsing, "Little affects him…he only knows thirst, desire, lust, hunger, and anguish…all these are the traits of a wild beast that hunts. That is all he is, Mira. He has no soul anymore. Yet his ability to imitate it is astounding." You nod.

"Well the clock is ticking…someone who holds significance to me is going to die tonight," you state. Van Helsing just stares at you rather incredulously.

"Mira…you do not love a wild beast…do you?"

A/N: Would you believe it? I think I am finally about to wind down on this story...maybe. :: mysterious smile ::


	31. Devastation

**Chapter Thirty-One: Devastation**

_"Mira…you do not love a wild beast…do you?"_

You do not answer the question, of course, but that does not mean it does not haunt you. You begin to wonder about yourself. Do you, indeed, love a wild beast?

Van Helsing looks a bit hurt when he sees that you are not answering. "I'm going to go look at that gold plate with Carl and Father Delavego," he states, getting up. He does not look at you. "If you come up with any more brilliant plans, you know where I'll be." Then he leaves. You sigh, watching him walk off.

_Brilliant plans, me!_ You think dryly as you go for a walk. Your feet lead you to the local church. You walk up the battered steps, through the heavy doors, and into the sanctuary. You rub your neck slightly, which has still been burning for all this time. But the bite-marks are scabbed over and healing. Some part of you believes that Vladislaus was not actually trying to kill you.

Well, now you are at a loss for organized plans. You must somehow get the antidote…hopefully Dracula at least brings that. Then you can kill him, if you have the strength. Lately, you feel as if you may be falling for Dracula. But that is ridiculous, of course. You hate him. You want him dead. Right?

You sit in one of the front pews of the church in silence. "What do you want me to do, God?" You finally ask to the silence. You expect no response, but you hope that the echo of your question will invoke some faith within your heart; faith that you have been lacking as of late. The echo returns from the rafters hollow. You sigh.

You love Gabriel, or, you think you do, at least. But promises are promises, especially to dark vampire lords. Then you start thinking about how stupid you must have been when you were Adriana. Everything just seems so confusing; you do not want to think about it. You hear footsteps and look up to see Vladimir. He joins you silently.

"May we talk?" He asks cautiously. You nod. Ah, more bad news probably…

"Ask me anything. Nothing matters anymore." You smile wryly at the cross in the front of the church. He pauses, seemingly reluctant to speak.

"Mira, I do not want to add to your burdens, for you bear many," he starts. You try not to roll your eyes and say, 'Here it comes.' "I have absolutely no right to think what I think about you, and absolutely no right to feel what I feel about you."

"Thoughts are never wrong or right; they are only thoughts. And feelings cannot be helped. So please continue," You state, trying not to get annoyed. You do not look at him. You stare straight ahead as if you are focused.

"Mira," he sighs uncomfortably, "I don't pretend to be a man of words, because I am not. I know I am old, I am battered, perhaps I am selfish at times, and a complete moron at that." He pauses again. "Will you look at me?" You turn and look at him finally. "Mira, I may be all of these things that are bad to you, but I delight in your happiness." You roll your eyes and get up, starting to pace in front of the pew. He seems baffled, and watches you for a moment. "Mira…?"

"Continue," you say gruffly. You feel like you are going cold now. But it does not matter.

"Perhaps this all sounds very cliché to you, Mira, but I think I love you," he says.

"Think?" You laugh slightly, "Been there, said that, and done that, Vladimir." He is silent. "I am quite tired of love confessions and false promises," you continue, "I do not want any part in it anymore."

"And Van Helsing…?" Vladimir seems befuddled now, and hurt.

"Well, if you were watching, Van Helsing and I are not on good terms at the moment," you say, continuing to pace restlessly. "I just want my task on earth to be fulfilled."

"I am speechless," states Vladimir. He sits there in dumbfounded silence. _I am speechless?_ The thought that he said that makes you want to laugh now. You hide your smirk.

"My soul is older than yours," you finally say, "My soul is but a little younger than the body of Vladislaus Dracula. He has hunted me, killed me, seduced me, and yet he still loves me after all I have done to him. Now if you ask me, that is true love."

"…Mira, no!" Exclaims Vladimir, "You are letting yourself fall to him. This is what he wants!"

"This is what he _has_, Vladimir," you say, pacing faster now, "I cannot just walk away from a destiny I have not fulfilled."

"What is that destiny?" Asks Vladimir, shifting nervously.

"That destiny is with Dracula. That is where I belong." You state.

"He will not love you," says Vladimir, "He is incapable of it. He may cherish your love for him, indulge in the passions you can give him, indulge in the passions he can give you, but he can never truly love you. That is something that requires a soul."

"Oh, and I suppose you are better than that?" You demand, looking at him with a fiery gaze now. He stops speaking and just stares at you in shock. He finally sighs and nods, getting up. He straightens and bows slightly.

"I can see you are troubled, and will bother you no more," he says, "I will see you later." With that, he exits. You immediately feel terrible, and a knot rises in your throat. Finally, you break down again, falling at the foot of the cross in a temperamental agony. And you must cry alone, for everyone else is off doing something constructive.

"Why me, God!?" You ask to the silence. You cry for a good hour until you finally force yourself to rise shakily and exit the church. The townspeople have organized themselves into regiments, and are now rigging up crucifixes and silver stakes in the street for the vampires. You can see that some are mapping out plans. You smile slightly through your solemn countenance and then return to the manor. At least someone appears to know what they are doing.

You ascend the stairs to the library warily and enter in on Carl, Gabriel, and Father Delavego. "What did we discover?" You ask.

"The plate has gone missing," states Father Delavego, "It is no longer there." You sigh, sitting exhausted in one of the armchairs.

"Great," you breathe sarcastically.

"And all the other texts are not providing any more information with regards to Dracula," says Carl, "Well, nothing that we already know." Van Helsing is silent. His eyes are downcast, his hands resting on his hat. He looks as if he is thinking.

"I've simplified our course of action," you finally say, "We get the antidote, revive Van Helsing, and let me deal with Dracula. Carl, you can set off that light device of yours in the street to kill off the vampires." Everyone just looks at you solemnly. "That's it," you mumble, before turning on your heel and walking out. You need to sleep, and change into some different clothes…something more revealing.

As you walk across the ballroom, you hear someone following you. When you look over your shoulder, you see Gabriel. Sighing, you look forward and continue walking. He, however, catches up and blocks your path.

"Mira, tell me what's going on," he says, staring at you seriously. You look at him, conflicted.

"I told you what the plans were. I need to rest now," you finally say, moving past him. He blocks you again.

"I want to know what you mean by 'let me deal with Dracula,'" he says, "There are several ways of 'dealing with Dracula.'"

"I plan on seducing him and killing him," you say bluntly, moving past him again.

"Seducing? Why seducing? Why not just kill him?" Asks Gabriel, following you now.

"It will hurt him more if I seduce and then kill," you say. This is a lie, but you do not care anymore.

"You are betraying us for real, are you not?" Asks Van Helsing. He blocks your entrance into your room. You glare at him.

"Promises are promises," you say, "Let me pass, I must rest."

"Yes, let her pass, Van Helsing," comes a voice out of nowhere. You both look up to see Vladimir stepping out of the shadows. He draws his sword, his eyes firmly scrutinizing Van Helsing. There is silence. You are shocked. Is he challenging Van Helsing?

"What do you want, Vladimir?" Asks Van Helsing.

"Fight me, Van Helsing," states Vladimir.

"Fight you for what reason? We are all friends," says Van Helsing, "There is no reason to argue amongst ourselves." He is now approaching Vladimir slowly.

"Fight me for her," says Vladimir, calmly.

"All right, all right!" You finally come between the two. "Put that thing away, Vladimir. Let's not be childish about this. I am not some kind of object to be ruled. Maybe I don't want either one of you, for that matter!" You are getting aggravated with the situation. "At any rate, we have a job to do, I need to sleep, and you two must not fight!" Vladimir and Van Helsing are staring intently at one another now, and if looks could kill, both would be dead. You sigh.

"Okay, Vladimir, you go that way. Van Helsing, you go that way. And if I hear anything about you two fighting, you can expect I will do something absolutely terrifying, and you will very much regret you ever crossed blades, flesh, or bullets!" You open your door, enter your room, and slam your door, flinging yourself into bed with an exasperated sigh. You are content to hear two pairs of footsteps walking away from each other, and vanishing to separate corners of the manor.

You get up again with a sigh, and go to your closet. You nearly shudder, thinking of the things that might happen tonight. But you must do what you must do. You finally dig out a black corseted bustle-gown. It is fringed with black Venice lace and beaded in some areas. The neckline is wide and revealing, and the back sweeps down low into eight rows of lacing. It has a tremendous sweeping train and is made of a medium-weight silk. You sigh, slipping off your fighting clothes and into this beautiful gothic creation. You place your daggers and sword strategically underneath the bed, just within reach.

Then you lay down to rest and wait. You dread what the night will bring, and yet…some part of you is excited. After all, this is finally going to be over…isn't it?

**A/N:** _Yeah, I'm sorry. I had serious writer's block, and this story needs to die soon. It's 2:30 am, and I realize that some people were looking for another chapter (well, after all, it's been a while, has it not? -). Anywho, I luff you for reading and reviewing, so, even though this will be over soon, I hope you will continue your support. _

_GF_


	32. A Heartless Devil

**Chapter Thirty-Two: A Heartless Devil**

When you wake up, it is dusk. You leap quickly to your feet and run to the window. Looking down, you see that the street is deserted._ Where did they all go?_ You wonder. Shrugging, you exit the room and head for the ballroom. The entire plan is formulated in your mind now.

Once you reach the ballroom, you pace it spasmodically in the darkness. You are waiting for the Count's arrival. You hear a soft flutter in the shadows, and then feel piercing eyes regarding you. He is here. You continue pacing, acting as if you have not noticed he is there. He appears behind you, and you nearly walk into him.

"Have you brought the antidote?" You demand, looking at him. He pulls a wrapped package from inside his coat.

"As you have requested, my lady," he says. He bows, presenting it. You open it to check for the syringe. It is there. He had fulfilled a request at last!

"Oh Vladislaus, you are all-too generous," You say, smiling sweetly at him and tracing his jaw line with your hand. He grabs you by the waist, pulling you closer.

"Now what of my reward?" He whispers seductively, his charm slipping into your ears. His eyes look you over, and you can practically see the lustful thoughts in his eyes.

"You shall have it," you say softly, "Meet me in my chamber. First I must get this to Van Helsing." He kisses voraciously at your neck, nipping slightly, before kissing your hand decorously.

"Very well my darling. I will await you in your room," he says. He vanishes again into the shadows. You shiver, his touch still lingering upon you. You race to the library now and see a sleeping Carl slumped at the desk. You grab him and shake him awake. He wakes with a drowsy expression twisting his face.

"Carl, wake up!" You demand, and slap him.

"OW!" He yelps, nearly falling over.

"Where is Van Helsing?" You ask.

"I don't know…what time is it?" Asks Carl with a yawn.

"It is past dusk!" You say anxiously.

"Oh dear, I have been asleep for a while," comments Carl, looking off.

"Look, Carl. Here is the antidote. You must get it into Van Helsing straightaway, understand?" You say, handing him the antidote.

"I will not fail you," Carl says, taking the antidote and saluting you rather humorously. You barely laugh however.

"Good luck Carl…and if I don't see you again…well…try to make sure Van Helsing saves everything," you say sadly, "And when you see him…tell him I love him." Carl looks at you, speechless, and you smile bitterly, exiting the library once more. Now you must engage in dangerous activity.

Hesitantly, you walk back to your bedchamber. It is time to go on your full guard now. Of course, he thinks you are simply surrendering your body to him. How wrong he is…you smile rather maliciously to yourself and enter the room after praying for strength.

You do not see him, of course. But you did not expect to see him anyway. He likes games; he just does not like to admit it. You stand in the doorway for a moment, looking around the dim room. You are trying to figure out which direction he will come from when he attacks you. You sense him, but he is not close by. He is probably planning on a random appearance then. Unalarmed by this, you walk in, shutting the door, and lighting more candles.

More light will fade your anxiety. After all, you are near terrified already. You go to the window to look out at the darkness. The streets appear to be rather silent. You wonder what is going on with the townspeople and the vampires. The door creaks open and you turn your head slightly, watching it close again. He is here but you do not see him.

"Such a beautiful, calm night," he purrs. You whip around to face him. He is leaning on the wall beside you, fingers trailing across the curtain as he looks out into the street. Suddenly, he grabs the curtain and slams it shut, leaving only the candlelight. You back away slowly, trying to desperately hide the fact that you are unnerved. He finally turns his attention to you, amused. "You look… absolutely stunning this evening, my dear Mira," he says, smiling viciously and approaching you.

"Th-thank you," You say, nodding and straightening up.

"I hope I have not…frightened you," he continues with the vicious smile. You feel a hatred rising in you; a hatred that wants to wipe that evil smirk right off his expressionless face. You force it down, remembering your plans.

"I was slightly startled, is all," you say.

"You shouldn't have been," he hisses softly, "You knew I was coming." He draws close to you now. He is like ice against your fire, and you hate it. Yet he makes you feel so helpless and wanted inside. "You are…" He breathes in your neck, "Stunning. Intoxicating. Everything I have always wanted in death." You close your eyes against his breath as he drives his spell against your will. "None of my brides could ever have your vigor…your beauty…your…" He whispers close in your ear, "…stubborn-ness." He grabs you and throws you on the bed, coming after you with a vicious snarl. You gasp as his nails tear at your dress, and back up against the headboard, looking terrified. He smiles viciously again and slowly approaches, dropping a clump of torn silk to the floor.

And then the fighting erupts. You hear the awesome sounds of battle cries in the streets and horrible snarls, mingled with the clash of metal and gunfire. The Count is momentarily distracted and instinctively flies to the window, looking out in horror. He slowly turns and faces you, a frown deepening on his face. He starts quivering, and you know he is about to explode.

"You little wench," he hisses softly. You tremble, staring at him through wide eyes. You glance down and realize that you are bleeding from the abdomen, but then turn and quickly stare back at him. He struggles to recompose but a low growl begins to rise in his throat, strengthening into a snarl, and then a full-out roar as he bares his fangs. You scream and your hand flies underneath the bed to grab your sword.

He pins you down, gripping you firmly by the throat. "So you think that by conspiring with the people of Vaseria, you are going to save them all by getting them killed by my minions!" He snarls, looking at you through wild eyes, "Do they know how much of a fool their leader is? You are no threat at all! You are driven by your fears and yet you say you have none!" You gasp against his grasp, choking, trying to breathe, your sword still loosely at hand. He grins maliciously. "And now I will spite them all by making you my bride, Mira!" His teeth lunge forward at you and weakly; you thrust your sword at his chest.

He catches his breath, falling back for a moment. You notice that you still have the sword in your hand but fall back, gasping for breath. He growls and tears off his coat and shit. You see a glint of gold and stare. It is the plate from the archive tower!

"I knew I should have expected some ill-conceived attack from you, my dear Mira!" He laughs, grabbing your sword and flinging it carelessly aside. He crawls forward, his eyes catching fire in the dim candlelight. He throws the plate aside, revealing his pale chest and abdomen. You cannot help but notice that he has quite the body, but you quickly snap out of it. You need to kill him, and fast.

You roll out of his way, your hand sliding underneath the bed and grabbing the dagger, before resuming a fighting stance on the floor. He looks angry.

"I told you I am through with games, my darling Adriana!" He fumes, lunging forward to attack you. You slice his shoulder with the dagger and he gasps, falling into the wall. You can see the flesh burning where you sliced him but it stops and leaves a gaping wound. He glares at you. "How ingenious of you," he comments, approaching still. You grab your sword off the floor and back away towards the door. He watches. "How far will you get, my love?" He chuckles, "Especially when I am so much more… powerful, than you!" He begins to transform into his hellbeast form and you don't waste a minute. You are out the door and down the hall, and running at lightning speed towards the ballroom.

You don't get any further than the ballroom because he sweeps in and resumes his human form. You duck behind the pillars, but he has seen you already. "I tire of you!" He fumes, approaching you immediately. You take another slice at him and then run towards the door. He falls over, snarling again. "DAMN YOU!" He screams. You fling yourself desperately out of the door, falling over on the front steps.

Down in the street, the battle rages. Dracula flies out the door and pins you firmly to the ground with a snarl. You screech. He digs his nails into your shoulder. "Oh God!" You scream. You summon every ounce of strength left in you, mortified, and shove him off. His nails tear at your shoulders, leaving deep gashes, but you have no time to feel the pain. You are up off the ground in an instant and pin him down with your foot. He stares at you through wide eyes, and you can swear that for the first time in your life, you can see fear in those lives.

"I bet you never expected this!" You hiss, and finally, you drive your blade straight through his chest. Beneath you, Dracula's form goes rigid and he stares at you helplessly.

"Werewolf venom…" He coughs, "I thought you loved me…" He chokes, as his body begins to writhe against his will. You feel your eyes turning cold as you stare down at him. You can have no compassion for this monster any longer. He could have taken away every single one of your dreams. He could have destroyed everything. Resolutely, you stare down at him with a festering malice.

"No one could ever love a heartless devil," you say. With that, you drag your sword out of his chest, and drive it in again, but this time, straight into his dead, black heart. He screams, his arms rising beside him as he begins to melt into a decaying monster. The streets go silent. The battle is over now. Kneeling down, you whip around your dagger and cut out his shriveled heart, dropping your blades to hold it in your hands, a gruesome expression on your face. "I'm sorry Vladislaus," you say quietly, "But you were not Vladislaus anymore."

**_A/N:_** _Stick around; there's more to come. I'm not quite done yet. Hope you liked and sorry I took so long._


	33. Don't saywe have come now to the end

**Chapter Thirty-Three:** **"Don't Say…We Have Come Now to the End…"**

You sit in silence for a while, shocked by what you have just accomplished. Dracula's body still has not faded into ashes, and the heart in your hands is nothing more than a little shriveled organ. You are simply astounded that you could have done that.

"It's weird, isn't it?" Says a familiar voice, "To finally kill what you've been hunting for ages and then meet an eternal silence you thought you would never have?" Van Helsing kneels next to you, placing a hand on your shocked shoulder. You look at him, fear in your eyes. He smiles gently. "It's okay, the monster's gone," he says softly, brushing your cheek with his forefinger. His eyes fall upon your wounds.

Your dress is torn. There are deep claw gashes on your shoulder from which you are bleeding profusely. He tears a piece of cloth from his sweater in an attempt to stop the bleeding. You are too shocked to do anything else.

"Mira, let's get you inside…and drop that thing!" He flicks your hands slightly and Dracula's shriveled heart drops to the ground. "You're freezing. Come on." He drapes his coat over you gently and takes you inside. As you enter the hallway, you vaguely make out the forms of Carl and Father Delavego, but no Vladimir.

"Carl, in my room!" You say quickly, as Van Helsing picks you up to carry you, "The plate is in my room!" The exhaustion is fading into you now, and the pains of your wounds can't even stop you now. In Van Helsing's arms, you find yourself drifting off into a deep, unconscious sleep.

When you wake again, you are in a different room—Anna's room to be precise. But you are not alone. Van Helsing sits in a nearby chair, his hat in his lap. Sunlight is streaming through the window. You feel as if you have not seen the sun in days. Van Helsing looks troubled but he sits there in silence, staring at his hat.

"Gabriel," You say, smiling. He turns and looks at you, but he does not smile. Your smile fades and you sit up, looking at him. "What's wrong?" You ask. He frowns, lowering his eyes again. He looks around at the room.

"My work here is done," he says rather blankly. "I need to return to Rome." You freeze, frowning deeply as this sinks in. He doesn't look at you. "I'm proud of you Mira. You've done a great job," he says, still sounding blank. You just stare at him, completely shocked again. He gets up. "You're going to make some man very happy." He forces a smile, and puts his hat back on, glancing at you.

"But Gabriel…" This hurts you. You thought he had loved you.

"I helped you hang on, Mira," he says, staring at you emotionlessly, "That's all I did for you." He tips his hat respectfully. You are on the verge of tears. How could he? How could he say that's all he did for you? Does he not realize how wrong he is?

"Gabriel, you can't leave me like this!" You protest.

"Mira. You are a grown woman. You destroyed Dracula. What more do you want from life?" He says. He looks slightly aggravated.

"I want love!" You state, exasperated, "That is the only thing I ever really wanted, Gabriel!"

"I cannot give you love, Mira," he says sternly, shaking his head. You feel your heart breaking.

"But you said you loved me!" You say, tears filling your eyes.

"Words are words. They are meaningless unless accompanied by actions," Van Helsing says. There is a knock on the door. "Yes?" The door opens and Carl flings himself in.

"It's not over," Carl says, exasperated. It takes a moment for the thought to register in both of your minds and you stare at Carl in shock.

"What do you mean it's not over?" You ask. You are glad that he interrupted your awkward moment with Gabriel, but you are baffled at what Carl seems to be saying.

"The plate, the golden plate!" Carl says, as if this explains everything. He is out of breath and looks terrified. You have never seen the friar so distraught. Your head is spinning, however. Van Helsing apparently wants to leave you, and now Carl comes running in to say that it's not over? Finally, you find your words.

"What about the golden plate?" You ask, raising a brow.

"Come, come!" His eyes are wide as he grabs both you and Van Helsing by the hands. He practically drags you down the hall and all the way to the library where Vladimir and Father Delavego are in deep conversation. They both look up as you enter. The priest looks at you gravely, and Vladimir just looks at you blankly.

"What is it?" You ask. You are not sure you want to know. Your body is in general pain at the moment, even though Van Helsing appears to have remedied everything to the best of his abilities.

"He rises from the dead every ten years," states Father Delavego simply, "These solutions we have found are only temporary ones, to find the real one." Van Helsing looks completely shocked, and downright confused. Carl is jittery, Vladimir is still, and you are just tired.

"I'm sick of this," you say, "Someone just kill me now." No one moves. You look around at them desperately.

"No, my child," Father Delavego says, "You are bound to him just as Gabriel is." Van Helsing looks even more confused. Father Delavego sighs, rubbing his temples and taking a seat.

"What do you mean by… bound?" Finally asks Gabriel. The priest frowns and sighs again.

"Gabriel, you know what you are. Do you know what he is?" Questions Father Delavego. Gabriel pauses.

"He is…evil; a minion of the devil," states Van Helsing.

"He _is_ the devil," chimes in Vladimir. He uncrosses his arms and steps out. This man confuses you. He stood still like a statue until just now. Now he comes out of his trance like something has re-animated him, and acts as if he knows all the facts. This aggravates you, but you say nothing. "Gabriel…"

"I don't want to hear it from you!" Snaps Van Helsing, "I want to hear it from someone I can trust!" He turns his attention to Father Delavego. "Tell me, Father. Tell me what you mean." You are completely surprised by this sudden outburst…well… partially.

"Gabriel…it is _your_ destiny to destroy Count Dracula. It is _not_ Mira's. Mira is a dangerous tool to Dracula," explains the priest.

"A dangerous tool?" You cry, looking at him desperately. He shushes you with a finger.

"Mira, child. May you never know the secrets and mysteries of your past lives. May you never regain the powers you once had," says Father Delavego.

"Powers!?" Your head is spinning.

"The final showdown is a glorious display of God against Satan. You are God's weapon, Gabriel," says Father Delavego. Van Helsing still looks shocked.

"How long have you known this?" He demands.

"The gold plate!" Says Carl triumphantly. He is almost smiling, but the situation is so grave that he is trying to tone it down. He coughs when everyone looks at him and then smiles apologetically, lowering his voice. "Since we found the gold plate."

Silence.

More silence.

"Mira, we are sending you to Rome… to the Vatican…to go into hiding," says Father Delavego. You gape.

"I will do no such thing!" You protest. You look desperately at Gabriel but he is too stunned to stand up for you.

"Mira, it's the only way," Father Delavego says, "You leave next week."

"But we have ten years!" You say desperately, "Maybe the answers are here!"

"And it may take ten years to find them," says Father Delavego, "Perhaps we did not even destroy him this time the way he was supposed to be destroyed—" Just then a servant comes running in, completely exasperated.

"Father, it's gone!" The servant throws herself prostrate at his feet in tears, "He's gone!" The priest's face turns dark. There is no question in anyone's mind what this woman is talking about. The remains of Count Dracula have gone missing.

"You are sure of this?" He asks. The servant weeps an indiscernible accord. Father Delavego stares at you, fear growing in his eyes. You pull out your sword and put it forward, waiting for someone to take it.

"Destroy me," you say. Everyone just looks at you, fear and astonishment on their faces. You continue to look around. "Destroy me! If you destroy me, then he can never use me!"

"You will just come back," Vladimir says quietly. His eyes are downcast when you whirl to face him. "You play some other part in this riddle…"

Carl clears his throat. "Father, may I?" He asks, looking at Father Delavego. The priest nods solemnly and gets up, pacing again. Carl takes the golden plate from the desk, gently, and a piece of parchment with the translation on it. He looks around to make sure he has everyone's attention. He reads slowly, enunciating every word so it is perfectly clear:

"You have made it this far, friend;

You thought for sure this was the end.

But let your eyes this inscription see,

And it may solve your mystery.

Evil sleeps but for a decade

To return once more to its masquerade.

You battle only with swords and wits,

But it will escape all of these tricks.

Seek the necromancer in his lair

Resurrect all that must be there.

The family _to be strong_ must come alive

Else their souls will not survive.

Take with you the angel's blade

This will not be an equal trade.

By standard laws you must abide

Unless evil finds his bride.

Let God unveil his wrath inside

And free the soul of Evil's bride.

She must win her freedom too

And only the angel can make this true." Carl finishes and looks around at all of you. "There is the mention of the Roman surname _Valerius_ as well."

"Valerius?" Van Helsing seems spellbound until he hears that name. "Do you mean to say, we have to resurrect a member of the Valerious family, free Mira's soul, and also restore my connection to God?" His eyes look unusually dark.

"It would seem so," Carl answers.

"Wonderful. How do we go about this?" Says Van Helsing. He sounds rather sarcastic and Carl just stares at him for a moment.

"We will all go to Rome," says Father Delavego, "Promptly."

"Who will watch my city!?" You ask. _No one ever thinks about the people…_

"We will install an official to oversee the town until we return," says the priest.

"But what if they are attacked!?" You demand, aghast.

"You have excellent warriors here to guard your city," says Vladimir. You are desperate now. You do not want to go anywhere. The thoughts of slaying yourself keep repeating over and over in your head.

"This is all we have time for," Father Delavego says, "We must leave, and quick!" He bustles around the room with Carl, gathering various manuscripts and translations, wrapping the gold plate carefully. You look at Van Helsing, who still looks astonished.

"I knew it was too easy," he says, looking off. It is clear to you that he is thinking about something else. He is thinking about Anna Valerious. You realize now, that he never did love you. He could not love you, after all. He was in love with Anna. You smile bitterly and turn his face to yours. Vladimir exits, probably to find an official to appoint and alert the soldiers.

"So I guess this is still good-bye?" You ask, looking at him. He smiles back, almost as bitterly.

"How can it be? This is hello all over again."

_To be continued._

**_A/N:_**_ Ah well. I guess you all have to wait for the sequel now. Boo hoo. I probably won't get to it for a while so don't hang around waiting for it… (And don't hassle me for it either! I've got a multitude of things to do!) And sorry if this last chapter seems rushed. I was incredibly bored with this story and need a longer time to think of what to do next. Thus, I decided to end it and write a sequel when my muse is feeling up to it. Hope you liked it regardless and have a good rest of summer vacation._

_Yours Faithfully,_

_The Gothik Faerie_


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